BANANA

Banana is the second most important fruit crop of India next to mango. It is available round the year, and because of its taste, nutritive and medicinal value, it is favorite fruit of all classes of people. It is a rich source of carbohydrate and vitamins, particularly vitamin B. Banana helps to reduce the risk of heart diseases. Also, it is recommended for patients suffering from high arthritis, blood pressure, ulcer, gastroenteritis and kidney disorders. From banana, various products are made such as chips, banana puree, jam, jelly, juice, etc. Banana fiber is used to make items like bags, pots and wall hangers. Rope and good quality paper can be prepared from banana waste. In India, banana ranks first in production and third in the area among fruit crops. In India, Maharashtra has the highest productivity of banana. The other major banana producing states are Karnataka, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Assam.
 

Banana can grow from the poorest to the richest type of soil with varying success. Deep, rich loamy and silty clay loam soil, with pH 6 - 7.5 is most preferred for banana cultivation. For banana cultivation, select soil having good drainage, adequate fertility, and moisture capacity. Soils having high nitrogen content, adequate phosphorus content and high level of potash are good for banana cultivation. Avoid waterlogged, poor aerated and nutritionally deficient soils. Also avoid sandy, saline, calcareous and extremely clayey soils.

Plough the land thoroughly at least for 3-4 times in summer. At the time of last ploughing add about 10 tons of well rotten FYM or well decomposed cow dung and mix it well in soil. To level the soil use blade harrow or laser leveler. In areas where nematode problem is prevalent, nematicides and fumigants are also added to pits before planting.

Grandnaine, Red Banana, Safed Velachi, Basarai, Rasthali, Dwarf Cavendish, Robusta, Poovan, Nendran, Ardhapuri, Nyali.

Time of sowing
May-June or September-October is the optimum time for banana planting. Tissue culture plant can be planted throughout the year except when the temperature is too low or too high.

Spacing
In north India, coastal belt and areas having high humidity and low temperature i.e below 5-7ºC, the planting distance should not be less than 2.1m x 1.5m.

Sowing Depth
Banana sucker is planted in a pit size of 45 cm x 45 cm x 45 cm or 60 cm x 60 cm x 60 cm. Pits are left open in sun; it will help in killing the harmful insects. Fill pits with topsoil mixed with 10 kg of FYM or well decomposed cow dung, Neem cake@250 gm and Carbofuran@20 gm. Plant suckers in the center of the pit and gently pressed the soil around it. Avoid deep planting.

Method of Sowing
Direct sowing or transplanting method is used for sowing.

 

Seed Rate
If the spacing of 1.8x1.5 m is adopted, near about 1452 plants fits per acre. For spacing of 2 m x 2.5 m, 800 plants are accommodated in one acre.

Seed Treatment   
For planting, use healthy and uninfected sucker or rhizomes. Before planting, wash suckers and then dip in a solution of Chlorpyrifos 20EC@ 2.5 ml/Liters of water. To protect the crop from rhizome weevil, before planting, dip suckers in Carbofuran 3%CG@33 gm/sucker, after then dry them in shade for 72 hours. To prevent suckers from nematode attack, treat suckers with Carbofuran 3%CG @ 50gm/sucker. For Fusarium wilt control, dip suckers in Carbendazim @2 gm/litre of water solution for about 15–20 minutes.
 

If the soil is zinc deficient, in such soils, apply Zinc sulphate@50 gm/plant. Or take a foliar spray of Zinc sulphate@3 gm/Litre + Urea@5 gm/Litre, 45 and 60 days after planting.
 
In the case of boron deficiency, weight and size of bunch get affected and thus affect proper filling of the bunch. To overcome boron deficiency, take a spray of boric acid@2 gm per Litre of water in the fourth and fifth month after planting.
 

Remove weeds before planting by deep ploughing and cross harrowing. Also, take a spray of Glyphosate@800 ml/acre to keep plantation weed free. Take pre-emergence application of Diuron 80% WP@800 gm/150Litre of water/acre, if infestation is by the weed species.

Banana is a shallow rooted crop requires large quantity of water for increasing productivity. Overall it requires 70-75 irrigations for good yield. Provide irrigation at an interval of 7-8 days in winter where as in summer provide irrigation at an interval of 4-5 days. In the rainy season, provide irrigation if required. Remove excess water from the field as it will affect plant establishment and growth.

Advance irrigation technology like drip irrigation can be used. Research shows that use of drip irrigation in banana saves about 58% of water and increasing yield by 23-32%. In drip irrigation, apply water@5-10 litres/plant/day from planting to 4th month, 10-15 litre/plant/day from 5th to shooting and 15 litre/plant/day from shooting to till 15 days prior to harvest.

• Pest and their control:
  

Corm weevil: If the infestation of corm weevil is observed, then to control, apply Carbaryl@10– 20gm/plant in the soil around the stem.
 

Banana aphid: If the infestation is observed, take spray of Methyl demeton@2ml/litre or Dimethoate 30EC@2ml/litre of water.

Thrips and Lace wing bugs: Take spray of Methyl demeton 20EC@2ml/litre of water or Monocrotophos 36 WSC@2ml/litre of water.

Nematode: To prevent suckers from nematode attacked, treat suckers with Carbofuran 3%CG@50gm/sucker. If suckers treatment is not done, apply 40gm of Carbofuran around each plant one month after planting.

• Disease and their control:
  

Sigatoka leaf spot: Remove and burn infected leaves. Provide proper drainage in the field to avoid waterlogging conditions.
Take spray of any one of fungicides i.e Carbendazim@2gm/litre or Mancozeb@2gm/litre or Copper oxychloride@2.5gm/litre or Ziram@2ml/litre of water or Chlorothalonil@2gm/litre of water. Add 5ml of wetting agent like Sandovit, Teepol etc. per 10 litres of spray fluid.

Anthracnose: If the infestation is observed, take spray Copperoxychloride @2.5gram/Litre or Bordeaux mixture@10gram/Litre or chlorothalonil fungicide @2gm/litre or Carbendazim@3gm/Litre of water.

Panama Disease: If infection observed in the field, uproot and destroy severely affected plants away from the field. Then apply lime@1 – 2 kg in the pits.
Before planting dipped suckers in Carbendazim@2gm/Litre of water. Also, do bi-monthly drenching of Carbendazim starting six months after planting.

Fusarium wilt: Remove of infected trees and apply lime @1-2 Kg/pit.
Do capsule application of Carbendazim@60mg/capsule/tree on 2nd, 4th and 6th month after planting. Do spot drenching of Carbendazim@2gm/Litre of water.

Bunchy Top: It is caused due to aphid infestation, Removed and burn diseased plant parts away from the field. If infestation of aphid is observed, spraying of Dimethoate@20ml/10Litre of water.

The crop is ready for harvesting 11-12 months after planting. Carry out harvesting when banana is slightly or fully mature also according to market requirement. For Local market harvest fruits at maturity stage and for long distance transport, harvest fruit at 75-80% maturity. Whereas for export purpose, carry out harvesting, the day before or the same day of shipment. Harvest fruit early in the day in the summer. In winter, avoid harvesting too early in the morning.

Some of the main post harvesting operations are - curing, washing, grading, packaging, storage, transportation, and marketing etc.
Grading is done on basis of size, color, and maturity. Remove small, overripe, damaged and diseased fruits. Fruits are generally harvested early in the season at a pre-mature stage to capture the market. Then mature fruits are ripened with lower doses of Ethrel for uniform colour development.