Production Technology of Banana

Banana

Banana is very nutritious among all other fruit particularly in the tropical region. It is

one of the fruit which is available throughout the year. This crop is widely cultivated

in Bogra, Jessore, Barisal, Rangpur, Mymensingh districts etc. In Bangladesh, its area

is 53 thousand hectares and production is 8.08 lac metric tons in a year (BBS, 2011).

The average yield of banana is 15.60 tons/ha. Its nutrient value such as calorie,

vitamin and minerals is very high. The average yield of banana is higher than any other fruit and crops.

Production Technology of Banana

Land and soil

Medium high land to high land with proper drainage facilities should be selected. For

successful cultivation of banana, soil should be at least 60-80 cm depth, fertile loam

and sandy loam soil with adequate sunlight. It can also be grown in different types of

soil. The optimum soil pH 6.0-7.5 is suitable for banana growth.

Time of transplanting

Planting of banana should be done before or after monsoon i.e. May-June and

September-October. Planting can also be done successfully in February-March if

irrigation facilities are available.

Sapling collection

Sword sucker having narrow, slender leaf like sword with big rhizome, vigorous

growth, about 50 to 60 cm height and 1.5-2.0 kg in weight should be selected for

planting. Nowadays, heading back of tall sucker is beneficial. Suckers are produced

commercially through tissue culture. The tissue cultured saplings establish quickly with

low mortality rate and uniform growth. Besides, banana can be harvested within a short

period compared to normal sucker. Moreover, tissue culture saplings are virus disease

free. Sapling should be collected from the reliable nursery or from Government farm.

Transplanting method

Square or Hexagonal system is suitable for plain land and contour or terrace system

for hilly region.

Spacing: For dwarf varieties 1.5 x 1.5 m (row x plant)

For tall and semi tall varieties 2.0 X 2.0 m (row x plant)

Pit Size: 45 x 45 x 45 cm3

Transplanting: After land preparation with desirable tilth, clods should be broken and

weeds are removed. Then pits are dug maintaining a distance of 1.5 to 2 m. The pits are

filled with well mixed soil and 10 kg well rotten cowdung or manure, 400g TSP, 300g

MP, 200g gypsum, 5g zinc sulphate and 5g boric acid per pit at 10-15 days before

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transplanting. Then, selected suckers/tissue cultured plantlets should be transplanted

into the pit. Irrigation should be done immediately after transplanting of sucker.

Fertilizer application

Banana responds to both manures and fertilizers. The dosages of fertilizers depend on

the variety and initial soil fertility. For split application 500g urea and 300g MP per

plant should be applied in four equal installments at two months interval commencing

from two months up to six months after planting and one installment of urea and MP

should be applied after flowering. Both urea and MP are mixed thoroughly and spread

around the plant and incorporate into the soil with spade. Fertilizer should be applied

30 cm away from the base of the stem and up to area shaded by the plant. Adequate

moisture should be maintained at least for 15 days after application of fertilizers.

Irrigation

Banana is a moisture loving plant. During dry season, the plants are to be irrigated at

10-15 days interval to maintain satisfactory moisture level in the soil. In fact, it

requires irrigation throughout the year except during heavy rain. Proper drainage

should be maintained during rainy season to avoid water logging.

4.3 Intercultural Operation

Desuckering: Desuckering is done after 4-5 months of transplanting. Depending on

the variety it is continued up to flowering at certain interval. One selected sucker is

allowed to grow as ratoon crop after flowering.

Weeding and mulching: Weeding is accomplished as and when required to keep the

crop free from weeds and to keep the soil loose for proper aeration. Mulching should

be done after irrigation at appropriate time to break the soil crust and to make the soil

loose as well. In the banana field, it is essential to remove undesirable materials such

as dried, diseased and decayed leaves, pseudostem after harvest, male bud, last end of

inflorescence and withered floral parts etc.

Propping: All plants are supported by bamboo immediately after emergence of

inflorescence for protecting them from bending or falling down due to heavy bunch

load and damage by storm.

Earthing up: Earthing up is important particularly during rainy season which

provides support to the base of the plant and also encourages development of new

root system.

Intercropping: Planting of banana may be followed by planting of intercrops like

brinjal, chilli, okra, radish, onion, potato, carrot, coriander, lentil, cabbage,

cauliflower, spinach etc. during the initial growth stage depending on climatic

condition. During intercropping additional fertilizer should be applied so that banana

plant does not suffer from nutrient deficiency.

Ratoon crop: The yield of first ratoon is higher than the main crop. Besides the cost

of production of ratoon crop is less than the main crop and the crop can be harvested

earlier than the main crop. Continuous three ratoon crop is recommended. After that,

yield becomes lower with increased insect pest and disease attack. At the time of

main crop harvesting the plant should be cut down one meter above the ground level.

Then all the suckers including the rhizome of mother plant should be removed except

the selected sucker and exposed place should be filled up with soil mixed with

manure and fertilizer. Immediately after this operation irrigation should be given.

Other cultural practices should also be adopted as like as main crop.

Crop rotation: Banana should not be cultivated more than four times including

ratoon crop in the same field, because of highly exhaustive in nature. As a result of

banana cultivation the soil loses its fertility and yield becomes lower. Other crops like

vegetables or fruits (except banana) are recommended in banana field to improve the

soil health and good yield.

Pest Management

Major insects and control measures:

Banana leaf and fruit beetle

Adult beetle feeds the green parts of young

leaves and skin of young fruit. As a result, small

patches appear on the young leaf and fruits.

With the increasing size of fruits, the spots

become larger and turn blackish brown in

colour. The skin of banana looks like pox spot

which reduces the market price.

Control measures:

• Clean cultivation. The inflorescence should be

covered with perforated polythene bag

(transparent/ blue) immediately after shooting.

• Spray with Diazinon 60 EC @ 2 ml/l of water

or Fenfen 20 EC @ 1.5 ml/l of water three

times starting from emergence of

inflorescence, after opening of first hand and

after complete opening of banana bunches.

Major diseases and control measures:

Panama disease or Banana wilts

This is the most harmful disease of banana. It causes due to fungus (Fusarium

oxysporum) which is soil borne and gets entry into the plant body through roots. It is

most serious in poorly drained soil. Affected plants show sudden yellowing of lower

Blackish brown like pox spot disease

Covered with perforated polythene bag

to protect banana

leaves, including leaf blade, petiole and later they

hung around the pseudostem and wither. Black

streaks appear on rhizomes and pseudostems.

Sometimes, pseudostem splits longitudinally.

Acidic alluvial soils favour the spread of disease.

Sabri banana is very susceptible to this disease.

Control measures:

• Uproot all affected plants and destroy them.

• Use disease free planting material.

• Avoid banana planting on infested soil at least 3-4 years.

• Use disease resistant cultivar/variety.

• Apply lime by mixing with soil (1:3) in the pit and near the base of the plant.

Leaf spot or Sigatoka disease

Symptom: It is a fungal disease. The first symptom

of infestation is the presence of light yellowish

spots on the young leaves. After that the spots

enlarge, become oval and the colour also changes

to dark brown. In severe cases, the numerous spots

coalesce and covering large parts of the leaf. The

yield may reduce up to 10-15%.

Control measures:

• Use disease resistant cultivar/variety.

• Remove severely infected leaves or parts of leaves and destroy them.

• Proper spacing should be maintained so that all the plants can get sufficient air and

sunlight.

• Spray with Score or Tilt @ 0.5 ml/litre of water or Nowin or Bavistin @ 2 g/l of

water or Aconazol/Folicor @ 0.1 ml/l of water 2-3 times at 10-15 days interval

immediately after disease symptom appear on leaves.

Bunchy Top

It is a virus disease and is spreaded by aphid. Infected plants show short, narrow and

upright leaves at the top of the pseudostem, bunched together into a rosette form.The

margin of the leaves become wavy and slightly rolled upward. There is an extreme

reduction in size of the

leaves and leaf petiole. The

results are stunted growth of

whole plant, which does not

produce bunch of any

commercial value.

Panama disease

Leaf spot disease

Bunchy Top virus disease affected plant parts

Control measures:

• Remove all affected plants along with complete rhizome and destroy.

• Use any resistant variety/cultivar (BARI Kola-3) or virus free planting material.

• Spray with Emidacloprid (Admire 200 SL) @ 0.25 ml/l of water or Ripcord 1 ml/l

of water at 15 days interval to control banana aphid.

• Avoid using sucker from affected plant.

Heart rot:

It is a minor bacterial disease. The flag leaf of the plant show blackish and decays.

Control measure:

• Remove all affected plants and destroy.

• Use disease free suckers.

• Ensure good drainage facilities, proper spacing and sufficient air and sunlight.

Nematode

The burrowing nematode lay eggs in the root tissue, after hatching out, larvae also

feed on root. Small dark black spots appear on the roots and decays. Fungus and

bacteria easily enter into root and affect

the plant. Affected banana plants are

unable to uptake nutrients and water

from the soil. Plant growth and yields are

affected adversely.

Control measures:

• Follow crop rotation for 2-3 years.

• Use nematode resistant variety.

• Adopt phytosanitary measures.

• Apply Furadan 5G or Bistaben 5G @ 45-60kg/ha or Ragby 10G @ 30 kg/ha 3-4

times per year.

4.4 Harvesting and Fruit preservation

Fruits are harvested when they are green but fully mature. Maturity symptoms are:

the colour of the fruit changes from deep green to a lighter green; shedding of floral

ends of the fruits with slightest touch i.e. when it dry; the angle or ridges of the fruits

become less prominent or round i.e. after the attainment of 3/4th full stage. Depending

on season generally all seedless or less seeded banana varieties mature within 11 to

15 months after planting. But seeded variety requires 20-24 months for maturity.

Harvesting is performed by cutting the bunch, retaining 15-20 cm stalk, this will help

in handling. Bunch should not put in hard place or soil after harvest to avoid black

spots on banana because the spotted banana is rotten quickly during ripening and

consequently the market value is reduced.