FERTIGATION STUDIES IN BANANA cv. RED BANANA
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Date
2018-07
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University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot
Abstract
Banana is a fast growing plant that requires high and continuous nutrient and
water supply for year long sustainer and ensures economically high yield. These
nutrients may be partly supplied by the soil, but fertigation is generally needed to
satisfy the needs of the plant and to obtain profitable production. The field experiment
was conducted to study the effect of fertigation on growth and yield of banana cv. Red
banana at Fruit Orchard, University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot.
The results revealed that the banana under fertigation system recorded
significantly higher growth and yield attributesover soil application. Growth
parameters like pseudostem height (m), pseudostem girth (cm), number of leaves per
plant, leaf area (m2), flowering and fruit parameters were significantly higher in plants
supplied with 100 per cent RDF through fertigation in eight equal splits at fortnightly
interval and it was on par with that of 75 per cent RDF through fertigation in eight
equal splits at fortnightly interval. The higher pseudostem height at shooting was
recorded in plants supplied with 100 per cent RDF through fertigation in eight equal
splits at fortnightly interval (2.18 m) followed by75 per cent RDF through fertigation
in eight equal splits at fortnightly interval (2.08 m) while, lower pseudostem height
was recorded in surface irrigation with 100% RDF through soil application in four
equal splits at monthly interval (1.54 m). Early shooting was recorded in treatment
supplied with 100 per cent RDF through fertigation in eight equal splits at fortnightly
interval (296.17 days),higher pseudostem girth (68.08 cm) and lower crop duration
(387.41 days) in 100 per cent RDF through fertigation in eight equal splits at
fortnightly interval. However, higher bunch weight (8.30 kg) and yield (22.84 t/ha)
was recorded in treatment supplied with 100 per cent RDF through fertigation in eight
equal splits at fortnightly interval, which was followed by 75 per cent RDF through
fertigation in eight equal splits at fortnightly interval (22.23 t/ha).
Application of 100 per cent RDF through fertigation in eight equal splits at
fortnightly interval in banana cv. Red banana resulted into the highest yield (22.84
t/ha) which was statistically on par with that of 75 per cent RDF through fertigation in
eight equal splits at fortnightly interval (22.23 t/ha). This could save 25 per cent of
fertilizer without reducing the yield of banana. Further, 100 per cent RDF or 75 per
cent RDF through fertigation in eight equal splits at fortnightly interval which were
statistically on par registered in better growth and improved quality parameters.
Nutrient content in the soil was also increased in fertigated treatments than soil
application indicating that nutrient uptake efficiency was more in fertigated treatments
and resulted in higher nutrient residues in soil. Therefore, 75 per cent fertilizers
through fertigation in eight equal splits at fortnightly interval seemed to be optimum
which resulted into higher net income and B:C ratio.