Banana Cultivation in India

Table of Contents

• Banana Production in India
• Banana Cultivation in India

• • Selection of Variety
  • Agro-climatic Requirements
  • Land Preparation
  • Planting Method
  • Irrigation
  • Fertilizer and Nutrient Management
  • Intercultural Operations

• Desuckering
• Propping
• Mulching
• Denavelling
• Other farm operations

• • Pest and Disease Management
  • Harvesting and Yield
  • Storage

• Banana Producing States in India

Banana Production in India

Banana is known for its low price and high nutritive value. It is consumed in fresh or cooked form both as ripe and raw fruit. Banana is a good source of carbohydrates and is rich in Vitamin B. It is also a good source of potassium, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium. The banana production is the most popular agricultural practice in India. It is popular due to its all-year-round availability, affordability, variety and some medicinal values. India leads the world in banana production with an annual output of about 14.2 million tonnes. In India banana ranks first in production and third in area among fruit crops.  It accounts for 13% of the total area and 33% of the production of fruits. Banana is used in many forms in India, for e.g., as baby food, as serving plates, as chips, jam, jelly etc. Banana fibre is also used to make items like bags, pots and wall hangers.

Banana Cultivation in India

Let’s build our knowledge on the step-by-step process involved in banana cultivation which includes, selection of variety, Agro-climatic requirements, land preparation, planting method, fertilizer and nutrient management, pest and disease management, etc.

Selection of Variety

The selection of appropriate varieties holds utmost importance in the cultivation of bananas. Bananas are commercially divided in two forms, dessert types and culinary types. The most important varieties of bananas in India are Robusta, Dwarf Cavendish, Rasthali, Poovan, Nendran, Red Banana, Ney Poovan, Virupakashi, Panchanadan, Monthan, Karpuravalli and Safed Velchi Musa.

Agro-climatic Requirements

The cultivation of banana is directly proportional to its Agro-climatic requirements. The banana grows well in the temperature range of 15°C – 35°C with relative humidity of 75-85%. In India, this crop is being cultivated in climate ranging from tropical to subtropical regions. The months from June to September are considered as the best months for the vegetative growth of banana with an average rainfall of 650-750 mm. Deep, rich loamy soil with pH between 6.5 – 7.5 is most preferred for banana cultivation. A soil which is rich in organic material with high nitrogen content, adequate phosphorus level and plenty of potash is good for banana.

Land Preparation

The land is prepared by ploughing and harrowing. It can be ploughed 2-4 times and levelled. The two most important implement used in land preparation are Rotavator and Harrow. They are used to break the clod and bring the soil to a fine tilt. During soil preparation basal dose of FYM (about 50 tonnes/hectare before last harrowing) is added and thoroughly mixed into the soil.

Planting Method

Most of the farmers used suckers as the planting materials and rest are using tissue culture seedlings. Sword suckers weighing approximately 450-700 gm are commonly used as propagating material. The tissue culture can be done throughout the year except when the temperature is too high or too low. Pit planting is the most famous planting method used by the farmers. Small pits are dug in case of ridges and furrows. The pits are to be refilled with:

• topsoil mixed with 10 kg of FYM (well decomposed),
• 250 gm of neem cake and,
• 20 gm of carbofuran.

Prepared pits are left open for 15-20 days for solar radiation to kill all the insects, soil borne diseases and for aeration before refilling. In saline alkali soil where pH is above 8, pit mixture is to be modified incorporating organic matter and gypsum.

Irrigation

The plants need to be irrigated immediately after planting. Irrigation is basically depending upon the climatic conditions. Being a moist, evergreen and shallow rooted crop, banana requires large quantity of water for increasing productivity. Overall, 70-75 irrigations are provided to the crop. In summers, irrigation should be given at an interval of 4-5 days while in winters it is provided at an interval of 7-8 days. However, during rainy season irrigation is provided if required as excess irrigation will lead to root zone congestion due to removal of air from soil pores, thereby affecting plant establishment and growth.

Fertilizer and Nutrient Management

Banana requires high amount of nutrients which is supplied in parts by soil. Both macro and micro nutrients are important for the development of the crop. Fertigation is a process or a method that is widely used by the farmers. It is the method of applying fertilizers and other water-soluble products required by the plant during the initial stages through drip irrigation.

Nitrogen is the most common nutrient used in fertigation. Elements applied less often are potassium, phosphorus zinc, sulphur and iron. This technique can reduce fertilizer application costs by eliminating high operational requirement. It may also improve nutrient efficiency by applying them closer to when the plant needs them.

Intercultural Operations

Some inter-cultural operations are practiced for the better development of the banana crop. The following inter-cultural operations are recommended for optimum productivity of the crop:

Desuckering

Removal of unwanted suckers from banana plant is known as desuckering. It is important in reducing the competition from the mother plant. Small suckers are removed on regular basis up to 7-8 months.

Propping

Propping is basically means supporting the bearing plant. Propping can be done with suitable propping material like bamboo or wooden poles for the uniform development of the bunch.

Mulching

Mulching is important in the conservation of soil moisture. It enhances the yield productivity in banana crop. The mulch is applied at the beginning of summer (February).

Denavelling

Removal of male bud after completion of female phase is known as denavelling. It helps in promoting the growth of the fruit.

Other farm operations

Other farm operations include the following points:

• Removal of dry leaves.
• Use of irrigation in night when temperature goes below 10°C.
• Application of neem cake of 1 kg per plant during winter months for the easier formation of the bunch.
• Bamboo poles or eucalyptus poles are used for giving support to the banana plant.
• Growing tall plants along the farm border helps to protect the plants from strong wind.

Pest and Disease Management

Some of the observed pests include root stock/rhizome weevil, stem borer, thrips, banana beetle, banana aphid and nematodes. The main diseases seen are panama wilt, anthracnose, leaf spot (Sigatoka), shoot rot and viral diseases.

The following method should be followed in disease control:

• Disease free planting material should be used.
• Infected plant parts should be destroyed.
• Spraying with 1 % Bordeaux, copper oxychloride or carbendazim in case of fungal infections.

Harvesting and Yield

Banana is ready to harvest when its fingers turn yellow and the peel is soft usually when it reaches to its partial or fully mature stage depending upon the market requirements. Have a look on the important points for better yield and harvesting:

• Harvesting is done at 75-80 % maturity for long distance transportation.
• September to April are the best months for the banana harvesting.
• The planted crop gets ready for harvest within 12-15 months of planting.
• Bunches attain maturity from 90-150 days after flowering depending upon variety, soil, weather condition and elevation.
• Bunch should be harvested when fingers of second hand from top are 3/4 rounded with the help of sharp sickle 30cm above the first hand.
• Harvest may be delayed up to 100-110 days after opening of the first hand.
• Harvested bunch should generally be collected in well-padded tray or basket and brought to collection site.
• Bunches should be kept out of light after harvest, since this hastens ripening and softening.
• The dwarf varieties are ready for harvesting within 11 to 14 months after planting while the tall varieties take about 14 to 16 months.
• Variety, plant density, management practices etc. are some factors dependent on banana yield.

Storage

Mature green bananas can be stored for up to 3 weeks in ethylene free air or up to 6 weeks in a controlled atmosphere at 14°C.

Banana Producing States in India

• Andhra Pradesh
• Maharashtra
• Gujarat
• Tamil Nadu
• Karnataka

India leads the world in banana production. It is the second largest producer in the world. There are some most famous states in India with top most production output. Let’s have a look on top 5 banana producing states in India below. According to APEDA Agri Xchange Statistics 2021-2022,

• Andhra Pradesh- Andhra Pradesh holds the first rank in the banana production with overall 5,838.88 tonnes production in India. Cuddapah, Guntur and Ananthapur are famous districts for banana cultivation in the state.
• Maharashtra- Maharashtra is one of the best yields of banana producing states, holds second rank in the country with total production of 4,628.04 tonnes. Jalgaon district is popular for banana cultivation in the state.
• Gujarat- Surat and Vadodara are most famous districts for banana cultivation. Gujarat has a total of 3,907.21 tonnes banana production.
• Tamil Nadu- Tamil Nadu ranks fourth in the list with a production of 3,895.64 tonnes. Thoothukudi is one of the major bananas producing districts of Tamil Nadu.
• Karnataka- Chitradurga district has amazing varieties of bananas in terms of taste and aroma.  Karnataka holds the fifth position with 3,713.79 tonnes total banana production in the country.

Overall, banana is one of the most famous and loved fruit in India after mango. India has performed tremendously in the banana production in the world so far.