Yield of 'Nanicao' banana at different plant densities and spacing systems

The objective of this research was to study the effect of different plantin g densities and spacing systems on the yield of the 'Nanicao' banana, evalu ating the first four cycles. Four density (3,333; 2,222; 1,666 and 1,333 pl ants ha(-1)) and two spacing systems (rectangle and triangle) were tested f or the conditions of Piracicaba, SP, Brazil. The increase of the density of 1,333 to 3,333 plants ha(-1) decreased bunch weight in 15% to 20%, due to reduction in number of fruit by bunch and fruit size. The yield was always higher as the density increased; however, there was not the same behavior f or the productivity. Until the third cycle, the highest plant density overc ame the productivity of the others. In the fourth cycle there was no differ ence in productivity among the densities, due to the increase in the durati on of crop cycle in the highest density. The spacing system in triangle pro moted higher bunch weight in the first cycle and productivity slightly high er along the cycles if compared with rectangle system.