ADVANCES IN PRODUCTION

TECHNOLOGY OF BANANA
 Input

To Enhance the
Growth of Banana

Technology Production &

productivity
 Precision farming
• Variety selection
• Tissue Culture
• High density Planting
• Mulching
• INM
• Drip Irrigation
• Fertigation
• Inter cropping
• Sleeving of bunch / Bunch covering
• Bunch feeding / Pouch feeding
• Plant Growth Regulators
• Integrated Pest and disease management
 Variety selection
• Dessert purpose: Robusta, Dwarf Cavendish, Grand Naine, Rasthali,
Vayalvazhai, Poovan, Nendran, Red Banana, Karpooravalli, Co.1,
Matti, Sannachenkadali, Udayam and Neypoovan are popular varieties
in banana.

• Culinary purpose: Monthan, Vayalvazhai, Ash Monthan and Chakkia

are cultivated for culinary purpose. Nendran is a dual purpose variety
used for dessert and culinary.

• Hill banana: The popular varieties of bananas suitable for hilly areas
are Virupakshi, Sirumalai and Namarai. Red Banana, Manoranjitham
(Santhanavazhai) and Ladan are also cultivated in hills.
 Propagation
Conventional
 Tissue culture

• The tissue culture propagation of banana for the first time in India,
was pioneered by Dr. R. Dore Swamy at the Indian Institute of
Horticultural Research, Bangalore.
• True to the type of mother plant under good management.
• Pest and disease free seedlings.  Uniform growth, increases yield.
• Early maturity of crop.
• Round the year planting possible as seedlings are made available
throughout the year.
• Two successive ratoons are possible in a short duration which
minimizes cost of cultivation.
• 95% - 98% plants bear bunches.
• New varieties can be introduced and multiplied in a short duration
 Selection of Tissue culture plants

Age of the plant - 2months

Number of leaves - 4 to 5
Stem girth – 6 cm
Healthy
Free from pest and
diseases
Advantages

Uniform growth and maturity

True to type
Early to harvest, suitable for export
Year round availability
Treatments for Tissue culture plants

Treatments for suckers

 Season of planting

A. Availability of resources (Canal irrigation)

B. Weather factors ( Hurricane, Rainfall and Temp.)
C. Market ( To match lean period)

Planting throughout year

Wetland system- Feb - April
Garden land – Jan - Feb and Nov- Dec
Padugai cultivation- Jan - Feb and Aug - Sept.
Hill bananas April- May & June - August
 Normal spacing

System of cultivation Spacing Plants / ha

Garden land (medium var.) 1.8 x 1.8 m 3086

(dwarf var.) 1.5 x 1.5 m 4444

Wet land (dwarf var.) 1.8 x 1.8 m 3086

(medium var.) 2.1 x 2.1 m 2267

Hill cultivation (all var.) 3.6 x 3.6 m 750

 HDP

Accommodation of the maximum possible number of the plants

per unit area to get the maximum possible profit per unit without
impairing the soil fertility status is called high density planting.
 HDP in Different Banana Cultivars

Normal spacing High density planting

Varieties
  Yield Spacing Yield
Spacing (m) Population/ha Population/ha
(t/ha) (m) (t/ha)
Robusta 1.8 x 1.8 3086 114.36 1.2 x 1.2 6944 174.39

  1.5 x 1.5 4444 145.44

Dwarf
1.8 x 1.8 3086 102.34 1.2 x 1.5 5555 166.66
Cavendish
Poovan 1.8 x 1.8 3086 31.50 1.5 x 1.5 4444 37.80
 HIGH DENSITY PLANTING IN BANANA
cv. ROBUSTA

Spacing (m) 1.8 X1.8 1.8 X3.6

No. of suckers 1/pit 3/pit

Population /ha 3086 4629

Bunch wt ( kg ) 28 24.4

Yield ( t/ha ) 86. 41 110.85

 HIGH DENSITY PLANTING TECHNIQUE

1 per pit 2 per pit

3 per pit
HDP in banana
 Economics of cv. Robusta under
HDP

Particulars Conventional method High density planting

Spacing 1.8 x 1.8 m (1 / pit) 1.8 x 3.6 m (3 / pit)

Population 3086 4630
Yield (t/ha) 86.41 110.35

Estimated expenditure/ha (Rs.) 1,23,632.97 1,51,144.70

Estimated income/ha (Rs.) 1,88,580.00 3,48,120.00

Profit (Rs.) 64,947.00 1,96,975.30
Benefit : cost ratio 0.65 1.32
 Mulching
• It is well known that optimum moisture maintenance is
essential for obtaining higher yield.
• Optimum moisture will also help in reducing the cost of
irrigation.
• The yield of banana cv. Robusta with black polythene, sugar
trash, banana trash mulching and unmulched conditions were
112.9, 95.5, 85.6 and 76.8 t/ha respectively.
• The higher B:C was higher in sugar can trash followed by
banana trash mulching
• The quantity and frequency of irrigation water could be
reduced through soil moisture conservation by mulching with
coconut husk
• mulching with black polythene or rice straw in banana in cv.
Gaint Governor resulted in higher yield with good quality
 Integrated Nutrient Management

• Application of nutrient to the crop including more than two

components like, FYM, Bio fertilizers, Green manuring and
chemical fertilizers in adequate amounts for the efficient use of
fertilizers.

• Banana being an exhausting crop requires large quantity of

fertilizers.

• Drip irrigation, it has become an integral part in the commercial

cultivation of Grand Naine and Robusta varieties in many parts of
the banana growing areas
 Intercropping
• Intercrops can be easily grown in banana plantations at the
early stages of growth.
• Radish, cauliflower, cabbage, spinach, chilli, brinjal,
colocasia, yam, dioscorea, bhendi, marigold and tube rose
are grown as intercrops.
• Mixed cropping with arecanut and coconut is a common
practice in south India.
• Banana is grown as a nurse crop to provide shade for young
plants of an orchard.

• Cassava and plantain combination is one of the most efficient

cropping systems.

• The total return was highest in banana intercropped with

bhendi followed by cluster bean, lablab compared to pure
banana crop.

• In a rubber and banana intercropping improved biomass

productivity without any adverse effect on growth and yield
components of rubber trees
• Multi-storeyed cropping
 Bunch covering
• The main purposes are the protection of bunches against cold, sun
scorching, against the attack of thrips and beetle.
• It also improves visual quality of the fruits.
• Bunch covering with dry leaves is a common practice in India,
white polythene bunch cover for improving the productivity
potential of developing fruit.
• The transparent and blue polythene cover improved the
productivity potential of developing fruit of banana in cv. Gaint
Governor.
• The bunch sleeve should be tied on the peduncle gently without
leaving any space for insect entry and the lower end of the sleeve
should be kept open.
Bunch covering in banana
Nutrient management and critical levels and crop removal

Nutrient Removal One tonnes of banana 50 tonnes of banana

removes( Kg) removes (Kg)
Nitrogen 7-8 375
Phosphorus 0.7-1.5 55
Potassium 17-20 925
Calcium 4.5 227
Magnesium 2.5 125
Sulphur 1.5 73

Critical levels percentage

N 2.6
P2O5 0.45
K2O 3.3
 TC Robusta

Fertiliser
Bunch
dose –N, P, No.of hands No.of fruits TSS (brix)
yield (Kg)
K/ tree
110:35:330
26.87 9.31 156.03 18.10
(3,5,7)
165:52.5:495
35.18 10.89 169.99 20.50
(2,4,6&8)
 Nutrients requirement for garden and wet land in Tamil Nadu
conditions

Systems of planting N P K

Garden land (g/plant/year)

Other than Nendran 110 35 330

Nendran 150 90 300

Wet land

Nendran 210 35 450

Rasthali 210 50 390

Poovan and Robusta 160 50 390

 Fertigation schedule

Nutrient efficiency
Immediate recovery

Weeks after planting N (%) P2O5 (%) K2O (%)

9-18 (10 weeks) 30 100 (through soil) 20
19-30 (12 weeks) 50 - 40
31-42 (12 weeks) 20 - 32
43-45 (3 weeks) - - 8
Total 100 100 100
 Schedule for Tissue culture banana with water soluble
fertilizers

NPK (g / plant)
Weeks after N P K
planting
g/ week Total (g) g/ week Total (g) g/ week Total (g)
9-18th week
(10 weeks) 4.95 49.50 52.50 52.50 9.90 99.00
19-30th week
(12 weeks) 6.88 82.50 -- -- 16.50 198.00

31-42nd week
(12 weeks) 2.75 33.00 -- -- 13.20 158.40

43-46th week
-- 0 -- -- 9.90 39.60
(4 weeks)
Grand total -- 165.00 -- 52.50 --- 495.00
 Weed management
Yield losses - 40-70 per cent

Fernexone, Gramexone and Diuron as

post emergence weedicides

Glyphosate, a systemic weedicide

After 4 months, Glyphosate @ 2 l/ha

when weeds are 2-3 inches tall

Do not spray on leaves of banana

Bunch covers

Transparent polythene
sleeves
2-4% ventilation
Early by 15 days
Spot less, bright bunches
 propping

Using bamboo, casuarina poles

or plastic pipes

Very costly
Difficult to handle
Huge area for storage
 Propping

Easy to erect
Easy to store
Cost Rs. 15/plant
Re usable (3-4 times)
 Removal of male bud

• Styles are persistent - remain

in the bunch till maturity
• Light brushing - few days after
flowering
Nutrient deficiency symptoms and corrective measures

Nitrogen deficiency symptoms

Leaves – pale green colour

older leaves are very sensitive

Apply urea @300g / plant

Foliar spray of 1% urea
Phosphorus deficiency symptoms

Old leaves show saw tooth

marginal chlorosis, curling of
leaves, breaking of petioles

50g of Phosphatic fertilizer Foliar spray of 2% DAP

 Potassium deficiency symptoms

Older leaves will exhibit symptoms

Scorching along the margins
Reduction in total leaf area and curving of midribs

Spray 1% potassium sulphate

Soil application of 150 g MOP
 Calcium

Deformation or absent of leaf lamina

(spike leaf)
Marginal leaf necrosis and thickening
of veins

Apply 50gram of lime

per plant
 Copper

Young leaves. - refuse to unfurl’

Emerging leaves will not be straig

Spray 0.5 per cent CuSO4

 Young leaves - size & lanceolate

On furling,
high amount of anthocyanin
pigmentation

Zinc

Spray 0.5 per cent zinc

sulphate
Boron

Reduced leaf area, &curling of

leaves
Lamina deformation
Inhibition of root and flower
formation

25g of Borax salt in the

soil or 0.2% borax
spray
 Iron

Young emerging leaves

Yellow or papery young leaves

Spray 0.5 per cent Iron sulphate (FeSO4) +

per cent urea on the leaves
Magnesium

Leaves shows yellow

discolouration in mid-blade and
midrib

but margins remain green

Apply magnesium sulphate- 25

grams/plant
 Sulphur

Appearance of yellow or white young leaves

Necrotic patches –margins &thickening of veins
stunted growth

Soil application of
20grams of complex
fertilizers (20:20:0:15)
Aphid
Stem weevil
Nematodes
Wilt
Banana bunchy Top
BBMV