Carbon partitioning in banana intercropped in coconut gardens
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Date
2011
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Department of Pomology and Floriculture, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara
Abstract
Investigations on the experiment entitled “Carbon partitioning in banana intercropped in coconut gardens” were carried out at Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS) Kumarakom, Kottayam from 2010 to 2011. The studies consisted of four experiments two each in Palayankodan and Njalipoovan. Two experiments were on basic studies on carbon partitioning in both the clones. The second part consisted of two experiments on the “Influence of bunch trimming regimes on yield and finger characters” in both the clones. Many theories on shooting and yield have been advanced and validated in bananas. One theory which has gained maximum importance is the number of leaves retained at shooting and at harvest, as it is these leaves that nourish and carry the bunch to logical maturity and consequent harvest. Hence, reduction or damage to leaves at and from the stage of shooting will adversely affect the finger characters and yield. The objective is to study the assimilate partitioning in two banana clones grown in coconut gardens at mid harvest stage, to understand how specific leaves contribute to yield and to know whether there is any variation between the two commonly grown clones of Njalipoovan and Palayankodan.
The studies revealed that when the activity was given to various different leaves the accumulation in the sink were different for each leaf. When the individual source leaves were examined in the case of Palayankodan it revealed that the third leaf was the most efficient leaf in retention of photosynthates followed by the first, the second, fourth and the least in the fifth leaf. In case of Njalipoovan the maximum recovery was seen in the fourth leaf followed by third, the first, the second and the least in the fifth. This shows that in both the clones Palayankodan and Njalipoovan the least was recorded in the fifth leaf showing that the old senile leaf is less efficient in producing photosynthates.
When partitioning of photosynthates from source leaves to different hands were studied in Palayankodan it was found that when the first leaf was given the activity maximum recovery was seen in the newly formed hand namely the seventh and the eighth hand. When the second leaf was given the activity maximum recovery was observed in the mid hands namely the fourth and fifth hands. In case of third leaf the maximum recovery was recorded in the mid hands but in the order namely the third, the fifth and the fourth hands, the source leaf itself retained a sizeable chunk of the activity. In case of the fourth leaf maximum recovery was observed in the fourth, the second and the fifth hands whereas in the case of the fifth leaf the maximum recovery was observed in the first formed hands in the order third, first and the second respectively. In Njalipoovan the picture varied from that of Palayankodan. When the first leaf was given activity maximum recovery was recorded in the eighth and the seventh hand as in the case of Palayankodan but in the reverse order. In case of the second leaf maximum recovery was observed in the newly formed seventh and eighth hand. In case of the third leaf maximum recovery was observed in the first formed hands namely the third and the second hands whereas in the case of the fourth leaf, the maximum activity was observed in the sixth hand followed by the fourth and the third hand respectively. When the fifth leaf was given the activity the maximum partitioning was observed in the sixth, the fifth and the fourth hand.
In Palayankodan the studies on standardisation of pruning regimes, maximum bunch weight was observed in the bunch with nine hands followed by the ten hand and the eight hand system. The least was recorded in the bunch with six hands. On the contrary, in case of the hand weight, the finger weight finger length and the finger girth an identical trend was observed with maximum recorded in the most intensive pruning of retention of six hands to the no pruning control in the order. Slight variation in the order was observed in the case of finger length. Thus it is inferred that the nine hand system was best for domestic market and the eight hand for export.
In case of Njalipoovan the maximum bunch weight was found in the ten hand system followed by the pruning of the male bud only, nine hand bunch, the eight hand bunch respectively. The six hand retention bunch recorded the least bunch weight. In case of the hand weight, the finger weight and finger girth almost an identical trend was observed. Maximum value for the hand weight, finger weight and finger length and finger girth was observed in with the maximum pruning of the six hand bunch followed by the seven hand bunch to the control of no pruning. Thus it is inferred that the ten hand system was best for domestic market and the nine hand for export.
All forms of regulation of carbon partitioning is observed in both the clones which explains the reasons as to why both the clones are productive even under the shaded home garden conditions.
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