01731naa a2200229 a 450000100080000000500110000800800410001902200140006010000250007424500840009926000090018352011010019265000190129365000090131265000200132165300140134165300290135570000190138470000210140370000250142477300520144916357272000-06-01       1998    bl uuuu     u00u1 u    #d  a0248-12941 aFERNANDEZ-FALCON, M.  aBacteria-enriched inoculant enhances banana development and influencesnutrition  c1998  aThe beneficial effects of bacteria in the soil are known, but those ofcommercial bacterial products, to enhance plant growth, remain unsolved. Therefore, the effect of RET-FLO PX357, a commercial mixture of microorganisms in a liquid suspension, was studied and quantified on banana crop.Marterials and methods. A concentrated culture of this product was tested for 2 years in two commercial banana plantations in Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain). Three treatments were used: a control, Fenamiphos nematicide (15 L-ha-1), and RET-FLO PX357 (20 L.ha-1). Parasitic root nematode number, pseudostem circumference, time to flowering, and bunch hand and finger number were determined; root, leaf and soil contents were analysed. Results and discussion RET-FLO PX357 decreased Helicotylenchus nematode number and, in some cases, increased phosphorous, calcium and iron levels in roots and leaves; it brought about the reduction of available soil sodium concentration and electrical conductance levels; it improved pseudostem circumference and number of fingers per hand, while advancing flowering time.  aCanary Islands  aMusa  aplant nutrition  aNematodes  aNitrogen fixing bacteria1 aALVAREZ, C. E.1 aBORGES-PEREZ, A.1 aBORGES-RODRIGUEZ, A.  tFruitsgv.53, n.2, p.79-87, Paris, France, 1998