Statistical Analysis between Soil Properties and Fusarium Wilt Disease in Banana

Abstract

Soilborne Fusarium wilt disease is a disastrous constraint that has a detrimental effect on banana agronomic performance. Climates and soil characteristics play significant roles in the occurrence and severity of Fusarium wilt disease in bananas. This study aimed to present statistical tools for direct and reflective information on the Fusarium wilt disease occurrence by including the soil environmental factors such as moisture, pH, and electrical conductivity. There are numerous opinions regarding the interaction between soil attributes and Fusarium wilt disease in bananas. Yet, the knowledge of how soil properties influence Fusarium wilt occurrence in bananas and otherwise remains unresolved. Therefore, this study was conducted by including different statistical tools such as t-test, MANOVA and binary logistic regression to explore the potential relationship between Fusarium wilt disease incidence and soil properties. The present study also consists of a reversed interaction of soil attributes and Fusarium wilt disease incidence. Though not all soil attributes were included, the preliminary findings revealed that soil moisture and soil pH have relationship with the development of Fusarium wilt disease in banana plantation. Although this statistical analysis does not prove the existence of genuine biological interaction between characteristics, it significantly suggests its possibility. Therefore, more experimental and statistical data are needed to document the right direction of the critical elements for the Fusarium wilt disease incidence.