The high density planting of some banana cultivars is an usable practical to increase productivity, especially in regions affected by Sigatoka. This study aimed to evaluate the development and production of banana plant 'Grande Naine' grown in different planting densities with black leaf streak presence at Vale do Ribeira, SP. It was installed a banana orchard with seedlings produced in vitro of the Grande Naine cultivar. The experimental design was a completely randomized, in factorial scheme 5 x 2, with five densities (2,500; 2,222; 2,000; 1,667 and 1,111 plants.ha-1) and two production cycles. The black leaf streak severity was weekly monitored using the state evolution method (SE) and its control were set when occurred the second consecutive progression of the severity and/or increases of 200 points from a week to the next. For each plot it was evaluated eight plants measuring plant height, pseudostem diameter, number of active leaves at blooming and at harvest, bunch fresh weight, productivity, number of hands, bunch fruits number, total fresh weight and individual fresh weight of the 2nd hand, length and diameter of 2nd hand fruits. Data were submitted to variance analysis by F test and the significant means were compared by Tukey test (5% probability). Under the experimental conditions, it can be concluded that the density did not influence the plant development (plant height and pseudostem diameter). The biggest plants density gave higher banana plant 'Grande Naine' yields.
Musa spp.; Mycosphaerella fijiensis Morelet; density, chemical control
