MSc

The study entitled ‘Nutrient standardization in banana (Musa AAB. Popoulu)’ was carried out in the Department of Pomology and Floriculture, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during March 2018 to April 2019, with an objective to standardize the nutrient requirement of banana cv. Popoulu, to study the effect of major plant nutrients on growth, yield and quality and to work out the economics of cultivation. The cultivar “Popoulu” is an exotic cultivar belonging to Maia/ Maoli Popoulu group of the AAB genome.
The field experiment was conducted at the in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with 14 treatments and 3 replications. The tissue cultured Popoulu plantlets were used for the experimental purpose. The trial was conducted in combinations of NK levels and time of application of fertilizers. The NK levels were fixed based on the N and K recommendation as per Kerala Agricultural University, Package Of Practices for Nendran banana maintaining the N: K ratio as 1: 1.5. Different NK levels tried were N1-250: 375 g NK plant-1 year-1, N2-300: 450 g NK plant-1 year-1, N3-350: 525 g NK plant-1 year-1 and N4-400: 600 g NK plant-1 year-1. The time of application of fertilizers tried were S1-2 splits (2 and 4 month after planting), S2-4 splits (2, 4, 6 month after planting and after bunch emergence) and S3-6 splits (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 month after planting and after bunch emergence). Organic manure (15 kg FYM plant-1) and P (115 g plant-1) as per KAU POP were given uniformly to all treatments as basal except T13 (absolute control - no fertilizer application) and T14 (recommendation of Nendran banana applied as organic). Urea, Rajphos and Muriate of Potash were used as fertilizer sources. Lime 240g per plant, based on soil analysis was applied in pits 10 days prior to planting.
The results indicated that the application of NPK at the rate of 350: 115: 525 g plant-1 year-1 in six equal split doses increased the height and girth of pseudostem at 2, 4, 6 month after planting and also at harvest. At 2 month after planting the total number of functional leaves, leaf area and leaf area index (LAI) were higher with the application of N, P and K at the rate of 400: 115: 600g plant year-1 in 6 equal splits along with 15 kg FYM plant-1 year-1. The application of N, P and K at the rate of 350: 115: 525g N K plant-1 year-1 in 6 equal splits along with 15 kg FYM plant-1 year-1 at 4, 6 MAP and at harvest produced more number of functional leaves, leaf area and leaf area index (LAI) and reduced the duration for bunch emergence, crop duration and increased the number of suckers after the bunch emergence.
With regard to yield and yield attributes studied, bunch weight, number of hands per bunch, number of fingers per bunch, number of fingers in D hand, pulp peel ratio, weight, length and girth of finger, yield per hectare were highest with the application of N P and K at the rate of 350: 115: 525g N K plant-1 year-1 in 6 equal splits along with 15 kg FYM plant-1 year-1.
The application of 350g N 115 g P and 525g K plant-1 year-1 in 6 equal splits reduced the titrable acidity and recorded highest total sugar, non-reducing sugar, ascorbic acid, carotenoid, starch content and sugar acid ratio. Application of N, P and K at the rate of 300: 115: 450g plant-1 year-1 in 6 equal splits along with 15 kg FYM plant -1 year-1 resulted in higher TSS and reducing sugar with lesser peel thickness.
The organoleptic evaluation score for fruits and chips were highest for taste and over all acceptability with the application of 350 g N 115 g P and 525g K plant -1 year-1 in 6 equal splits along with 15 kg FYM plant-1 year-1 and all other characters (appearance, colour, flavour and texture) did not vary significantly with respect to the application of major plant nutrients. The shelf life of the fruit also had no significant effect with the different fertilizer levels added.
The soil analysis after the experiment revealed that the available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content were more with the application of 350g N, 115 g P and 525g K plant-1 year-1 in 6 equal splits along with 15 kg FYM plant-1 year-1. The leaf nutrient content of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium at 4 MAP and N P K uptake at harvest were highest with the application of N P K at the rate of 350: 115: 525 g plant-1 year-1 in 6 equal splits along with 15 kg FYM plant-1 year-1. Sigatoka leaf spot disease and pseudostem weevil incidence were noted during the study and necessary control measures were adopted.
The net income and B: C ratio were highest with the application of 350 g N, 115 g P and 525 g K plant-1 year-1 in 6 equal splits along with 15 kg FYM plant-1 year-1 .
The above results indicated that the application of N, P and K at the rate of 350: 115: 525 g plant-1 year-1 in 6 equal splits doses along with 15 kg FYM plant -1 year-1 increased the growth, yield, quality and economics of cultivation of banana cv. Popoulu under Kerala conditions