Abstract
In this chapter we deal with the response of the banana plant to changes in the environment. These changes occur over different time scales, from hour to hour, day to day, month to month and from year to year. The responses we observe are linked to these time scales and the level of organization in the plant, whether it be in cells, organs, whole plants or at the plantation level. I have concentrated on the response of the whole plant as this is of most interest to producers, and largely researchers, at least to date. However, the responses we observe are the integration of numerous processes operating over various time periods. I have chosen to use mathematical forms of expressing ideas. I believe this to be important because both growers and researchers deal with quantitative data. For example we want to know not only whether a response will occur but how big that response will be. Then we can assess the significance of the plant’s response both for the biology of the plant and economics. This is not a comprehensive review but it focuses on the main features of the environment, i.e. temperature, light, water supply, wind and humidity. In particular locations some other factor, such as waterlogging or pollutants, may be important for productivity but they are not dealt with here.
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Abbreviations
- C f :
-
Crop factor or the proportionality coefficient between the irrigation requirement for maximum yield and class A pan evaporation
- C p :
-
Proportionality coefficient between evaporation from the soil and crop and from a class A pan evaporimeter
- D d :
-
Deep drainage
- D u :
-
The amount of water which moves upwards into a volume of soil
- Δe :
-
Vapour pressure deficit
- ΔM:
-
Change in soil water content
- E b :
-
Time of bunch emergence
- E c :
-
Evaporation from the crop
- E p :
-
Evaporation from a class A pan evaporimeter
- E s :
-
Evaporation from the soil
- G :
-
Growth
- G max :
-
Maximum growth
- H :
-
Time of bunch harvest
- I :
-
Irrigation
- I y :
-
Irrigation requirement for maximum yield
- K1, k2:
-
Rate coefficients at temperatures T1 and T 2, respectively
- L in :
-
The amount of water which moves laterally into a volume of soil
- L out :
-
The amount of water which moves laterally out of a volume of soil
- N :
-
The number of leaves produced by a plant from planting or sucker emergence until bunch mergence
- P :
-
Precipitation
- P b :
-
Time of planting
- Q :
-
Incoming short wave radiation
- Q 10 :
-
The change in the rate of a process over a 10 degree change in temperature
- r 1 :
-
The rate of appearance of new leaves at the top of the pseudostem
- r off :
-
The amount of water which runs off the surface of a volume of soil
- r on :
-
The amount of water which runs onto the surface of a volume of soil
- R s :
-
Time of emergence of the selected ratoon sucker
- S :
-
Ratoon emergence ratio
- T :
-
Temperature
- T c :
-
Temperature index
- T n :
-
Minimum temperature at which growth ceases
- T o :
-
Optimum temperature for growth
- Tx:
-
Maximum temperature at which growth ceases
- W :
-
Dry matter
- w b :
-
Bunch weight
- β:
-
A coefficient
- γ:
-
Radiation use efficiency
- κ:
-
Extinction coefficient
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© 1995 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
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Turner, D.W. (1995). The response of the plant to the environment. In: Gowen, S. (eds) Bananas and Plantains. World Crop Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0737-2_9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0737-2_9
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-4317-5
Online ISBN: 978-94-011-0737-2
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