Globally India rank's 1st in banana production by producing about 14 million metric tonnes annually. In India bananas are grown in Maharashtra, Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Assam.
Banana tree usually takes 9-10 months to grow with fruits. A banana is an elongated, edible fruit come from two wild species - Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana. Their scientific name are Musa acuminata, Musa balbisiana, and Musa x paradisiaca. Musa species are native to tropical Indomalaya and Australia.
Price of one banana plant is Rs 15
The flowers are actually protected by some covering. They are dark red to maroon in colour the commercially cultivated edible bananas are parthenocarpy verities therefore they are seadius. The ovaries of the fruits develop into the edible pulp without fertilization. There are more than 1000 types of banana in the world. Cavendish is the most common variety.
Banana flower
The flowers are actually protected by some covering. They are dark red to maroon in colour the commercially cultivated edible bananas are parthenocarpy verities therefore they are seadius. The ovaries of the fruits develop into the edible pulp without fertilization. There are more than 1000 types of banana in the world. Cavendish is the most common variety.
Banana Cultivation practices
Banana crop is a tropical fruit that can grow in volcanic soil. Since India has tropical climate most of the year it can grow almost all year around.
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Climate conditions
Banana grows at an altitude of one thousand two hundred meters from sea level in a warm and humid climate 20 to 35 degree Celsius is the most favourable temperature range along with the high level of humidity. They takes longer time to mature in cooler climate an average annual rainfall of one thousand seven hundred mm distributed evenly through out the year.
Suitable season
The temperature at the time of cultivation must be moderate neither too high nor too low. The planting schedule depends on type of land, cultivation practice being followed and duration of the cultivar (long or short).
In India it is mostly grown in February or June month. According to farmers they don't need much water in the month of June due to rainy season. If someone is having sufficient water then they use to plant it in Feb.
Soil
Fertile soil with rich organic content is necessary. It is a heavy feeder in addition they have a restricted root zone therefore drainage and depth of the soil are two important factors that must be consider.
For good drainage the soil must be able to retain the moisture and have a PH of 6.5 to 7.5 the nitrogen content of the soil must high along with adequate levels of potassium phosphorous.
Black loamy soils of Maharashtra, clay heavy soil along the Kaveri deltoid region the alluvial soil of the gangaotic canes, sandy loam of Kerala and red natured soil in the hilly region of Kerala are the idle for banana plantation. These areas are well-known for banana cultivation.
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Alkaline or acidic soils are not good for banana farming. A neutral pH of 6.5 to 7.5 must be maintained for this crop.
Water required
For the entire lifecycles of banana it needs nine hundred to one thousand mm of water. This is generally met through rainfall and what ever extra is needed provided through irrigation. It is important to maintain the moisture level, also drain out the excess water from the root zone.
This is important from the point of view of growth and productivity of banana tree. Irrigation is done once a week when the climate is cool and once in every three days under hot conditions.
Drip irrigation, trench irrigation are some of the common irrigation systems followed for cultivation of banana each of them have their own merits and demerits. However, the most economic and popular one is drip irrigation this is because they ensure the water being dispensed at the root zone.
Crop Rotation
Banana is a heavy feeder and are rotated with crops like sugarcane, parry, pulses, vegetables etc this helps soil to regain the fertility ensure vitality to some extend weed control. The period of crop rotation various on two - three years on an average
Intercropping in banana farming
Intercropping is the most commonly followed practice in banana cultivation. While it ensures the health of the soil it also provides substantial income for the farmers. In coastal areas like Karnataka and Kerala banana is intercrop with coconut, ginger, pepper, elephant foot yam are other crops. When choosing the intercrop farmer should consider the growth of banana plants.
Suckers
Farmers most commonly use sucker as the planting material some of them also practice tissue culture cultivation using sedans develop fruit tissue. Rhizomes and peepers are the other planting materials used in the cultivation. Two sucker types are sword and water sucker.
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Water Sucker - A sucker next to but only superficially attached to mother rhizomes with broad leaves at an early stage. Water sucker produce inferior fruit (not healthy banana clump) and are therefore not recommended.
However; fruits produced through water sucker are often fade in quality and hence not used in commercial farming.
Sword suckers - They are attached to the mother rhizome superficially and have broad leave right from early stages sucker used propagation must weight 450 to 700 gram and must have a well develop rhizome. To maintain a disease free healthy and high yielding banana plantation some farmers also uses the tissue culture banana plants.
Varieties
There are more than 1000 types of bananas that are cultivated. Cavendish is the most common yield.
- Cavendish banana.
- Pisang Raja.
- Red banana.
- Lady finger banana.
- Blue java banana.
- Burro banana.
- Manzano banana.
- Plantain.
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Land Preparation
The land is stilled and plot so is to break down the soil clots, stones, rocks and other must be remove the land must be fine. Farmers practice high density banana cultivation varying up to 2000 plants can be accommodated in one acre.
Planting banana
The most common method of followed is split planting whereas deep planting in banana cultivation must be avoided. The fields are irrigated 3-4 days before planting and immediately after planting along the kaveri deltoid region trench planting is practiced while furrow planting is done in annual planting system in Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Diseases and plant protection
Panama wilt - It is caused by the soil bournenursery fungi Fusarium oxysporum.
Symptoms - Leaves become yellow, Pseudostem splits and breaks.
Control Measures - Eradication of the infected plants. Growing resistant varities like Dwarf Cavendish. Soil drenching with Vapam @ 0.85% and mercuric chloride @ 3000 PPM in nursery.
Bunchy Top - It is caused by the virus, which is transmitted by an aphid Pentalonia nigroneruosa.
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Symptoms - Infected plants have short, narrow, erect leaves with short petiole. Plants remain slanted.
Control Measures - Infected plants should be uprooted and burnt. Spraying of 2-4 D to control weeds.
Root stock weevil - Damaging stage is adult and grub
Symptoms of damage - Grub bores into stem which is affected by fungi or bacteria.
Control measures - Use healthy suckers rhizomes.
Before planting treat the pit with 0.65% Lindane 60-80 gram per pit. Soak the sucker in 0.1% Lindane solution, spray 0.05% endosulfan.
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Harvesting
Banana usually takes to reach at harvesting level in around 10 months. Irrigation in banana crop is stopped about a week or so before harvesting this will help soil to dry.
While the banana bunches are cut from the fields other operations like cutting the hands, applications of fungicides etc must be carried out in the shade. The bunch must be 75 % dry and free from disease, green in colour. They are packed in gunny bags and shipped to the appropriate market.
Banana cultivation is very profitable business if planned well. One can easily produce 25 tonnes of banana in one acre land sometimes the yield can be higher as well.
Banana crop yield per acre per hectare
Banana yield per acre/hectare is given below according to the varieties.
- Basrai, Rasthali - 40 to 50 tones per/hectare and 15 to 20 tones per acre.
- Shrimanti - 70 tones per/hectare and 28 tones per acre.
- Grand Naine - 65 tones per/hectare and 25 tones per acre.
- Ardhapuri, Meanyham - 55 tones per/hectare and 19-20 tones per acre.
- Hirsal, Safed Velchi, Red banana, Lal Velchi - 45 tones/hec and 16-17 tones/acre.
- Poovan - 40 to 50/h and 15 to 20/acre.
- Monthan - 30 to 40/acre and 10 to 15/acre.
- Dwarf Cavendish, Robusta Champa - 50 to 60/h and 20 to 25 per acre.
- Nendran - 30 to 35 per hectare and 12 to 16 per acre.
Banana paper
Banana fibre is used in the production of banana paper. The paper is made from two different parts: the bark of the banana plant, mainly used for artistic purposes, or from the fibres of the stem and non usable fruits. The paper is either hand made or by industrial process.
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