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Table 1: Comparative Mineral Composition of Organic vs. Non-Organic Bananas
MINERALS
PotassiumORGANIC BANANASNON-ORGANIC
(mg/100g)BANANAS (mg/100g)
358352SOURCE
Jones & Brown (2019)
Magnesium3734Lombardo & Pandino
(2017)
Iron0.60.5Lombardo & Pandino
(2017)
Calcium108Lombardo & Pandino
(2017)
Zinc0.20.1Jones & Brown (2019)
1.7 Factors Influencing Mineral Composition
mineral composition is impacted by a number of variables, including as cultivation practices,
climate, and soil quality. The nutrients that bananas contain are mostly determined by the
quality of the soil. Crop rotation and composting are two examples of organic farming practices
that improve soil health by growing more organic matter and supporting a variety of microbial
communities (Williams et al., 2016). These methods enhance the availability of nutrients and
the structure of the soil, which benefits banana plants by facilitating their better uptake of vital
minerals. Composting, for example, improves plant growth and increases the nutrient density
in fruit by supplying a variety of nutrients to the soil and fostering the growth of beneficial soil
bacteria.
On the other hand, synthetic fertilisers and pesticides are frequently used extensively in
conventional farming practices, which over time may cause imbalances in the soil and its
degradation. Chemical inputs may increase crop yields momentarily, but they can also cause
nutrient imbalances or deficiencies by upsetting the microbial populations in the soil (Harris et
al., 2017). Important determinants of nutrient availability are soil structure, pH, and moisture
content—all of which are impacted by farming techniques. Plants are better able to absorb
nutrients from healthy soil when the pH is balanced and the moisture content is sufficient;
however, abuse of chemicals can degrade soil and impede this process.
Furthermore, climatic elements like humidity, rainfall, and temperature can affect the quality
of the soil and how well farming techniques work. Bananas' mineral composition can be