A field experiment was conducted with the banana plant Prata cultivar, in a Cambisol, in Cariacica, Espírito Santo State, Brazil, to study the major nutrient uptake, removal and return to the soil. Three mother (up to harvest), and ratoon plants (up to months after emergence) were selected at twelve and nine different development stages , respectively. Samples of leaf, petiole, pseudostem, rhyzome, stalk, bud flower and fruit were taken. Percentages of N, P, K, Ca and Mg, were measured. The following conclusions, for mother and ratoon plants, were drawn: a large amount of major nutrients are needed for vegetative development and yield; major nutrient uptake are influenced by dry matter production, except K in the petiole; the uptake ratio between the major nutrients is 20 K : 12N : 10Mg: :9 Ca : 1 P for the mother plant and of 26 .5K:8N :4.5Mg: : 4.5Ca:l P for the ratoon plant. A high amount of major nutrients can be returned to the soil with plant management. In a rational program of major nutrient fertilizer, it is necessary to take into account the amount of nutrients exported by harvest, especially N, P and K. The ratoon plant accumulated a larger amount of major nutrients than the mother plant.
Intake; macronutrients; Nutrient uptake; banana plant cv. prata