A Step-by-Step Guide to Grow Bananas in India

Table of Contents

• Crop Profile & Benefits of Banana
• What are the Different Varieties of Bananas in India?
• How to Grow Bananas and Maximize Yield?
• Soil & Climate
• Land Preparation
• Ratoon Management
• Planting Method
• Irrigation & Fertilizer Management
• Intercultural Operations
• Pest & Disease Management
• Harvesting & Yield
• Cost-Benefit Analysis of Banana Cultivation
• What are the Top Banana-Producing States in India?

Crop Profile & Benefits of Banana

The history of bananas can be traced back to South-East Asia across its humid tropical regions. India is considered one of the main centers of origin of this popular fruit. Banana, scientifically known as Musa, has been an essential part of Indian agriculture for centuries. Banana is a perennial herb with a trunk-like pseudostem made of leaf sheaths.

Bananas are known for their low price and high nutritional value. It is consumed in both fresh and cooked forms, as ripe and raw fruit. Banana is a good source of carbohydrates and is rich in Vitamin B, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus and potassium. Banana powder is a good first baby food due to its nutritional value.

Banana is also a key ingredient in a wide range of processed products, such as banana chips, jelly, jam, puree, wine, halwa, and juice. Plantains and their tender stems are cooked as vegetables. Banana leaves are used to make hygienic eating plates, while banana fibre is used to make items such as wall hangers, pots, and bags.

What are the Different Varieties of Bananas in India?

Bananas are commercially divided into two types: culinary and dessert. The culinary types produce starchy fruits that are used as vegetables in their mature, unripe form. The most important varieties of bananas in India are:

• Robusta
• Dwarf Cavendish
• Rasthali
• Poovan
• Nendran
• Red Banana

There is an imported variety from Israel, Grand Naine, which is becoming popular in India for its high-quality bunches and tolerance to abiotic stresses. Compared to other cultivars, it has a longer shelf life and better quality, with an attractive, uniform yellow colour.

How to Grow Bananas and Maximize Yield?

The primary aim of this section is to offer a reliable model for high-quality commercial cultivation of bananas. Here’s a comprehensive guide for you to grow bananas successfully and maximize your harvest and profits.

Soil & Climate

Banana is a tropical crop, and a temperature range of 15°C – 35°C is ideal for its healthy growth with relative humidity of 75-85%. Based on its variety, it is grown from dry, mild subtropics to humid tropical climates in India. The monsoon months from June to September are considered the best months for the vigorous vegetative growth of bananas, with an average rainfall of 650-750 mm. High wind speeds of more than 80 km/h can damage the crop.

Deep, rich, loamy soil is best suited for banana cultivation. A soil which is rich in organic material, high nitrogen content, and a good amount of phosphorus and potash is suitable for the crop. The ideal soil pH range is 6 – 7.5. Bananas do not grow well in saline, solid, calcareous soils.

Land Preparation

Daincha and cowpea are some green manuring crops that can be grown before planting bananas. Ploughing the land 2 to 4 times and levelling is required. To break the clod and form a fine till, implements such as rotavators and harrows are used. About 50 tonnes/ha of FYM should be thoroughly mixed into the soil before the last harrowing.

Ratoon Management

Being a perennial crop, bananas provide succeeding generations of crops. After planting, the first cycle is known as the plant crop. The harvested plant is succeeded by a sucker, called the ratoon or follower. The first ratoon crop comes in the second cycle, while the second ratoon crop is obtained in the third cycle.

It is important to prevent weed infestation in the field and the surrounding area. The field must be kept free of weeds to prevent contamination. This is why ratoon management plays a key role in banana farming. It involves selecting and nurturing new growth, or suckers, after harvesting the first crop. It facilitates the production of a second crop and maximizes banana yield. Three ratoons are done in places like Theni in 24 to 25 months. After the flowers emerge and the fruits fully open, a skirting bag is used to cover the bunches. It not only maintains uniform temperature inside but also protects the tender fruits from insect attack.

Planting Method

Banana propagation is done using suckers and rhizomes. Another popular method is tissue-cultured plantlets, which are being adopted on a large scale. Sword suckers weighing around 450-700 gm are a common propagating material. Tissue culture can be done year-round, except when the temperature is too high or too low. To treat planting material, its roots and base can be removed. Before planting, suckers can be dipped in a 0.5 % monocrotophos and 0.1% bavistin solution.

The ideal season for planting is May-June or September-October. The cultivation method involves planting a sucker in small pits, in an upright position, with a 5 cm pseudostem left above soil level. During planting, 25 g of Pseudomonas fluorescence per plant should be applied. There are three systems of planting generally involved in banana cultivation.

There are three common methods of planting:

• Pit Method: The pits are 60 cm x 60 cm x 60 cm, filled with a mix of FYM, soil, and sand in a 1:1:1 ratio. The soil around the planted suckers is compacted.
• Furrow Method: It involves forming 30-40 cm deep furrows after land preparation. It is done manually or using a ridger. Suckers are planted at suitable spacing with FYM applied around them.
• Trench Planting: In this method, water is used to prepare the field. After draining the water, suckers are planted by simply pressing them into the wet field.

Irrigation & Fertilizer Management

The crop's water requirement is estimated at 1,800–2,000 mm per annum. During summer, irrigation is required every 4-5 days, while it is 7-8 days in winter. Overall, around 70-75 irrigations are provided to the banana crop. Plant growth is affected if the temperature drops below 10°C during winter. In such a condition, irrigation should be done at night.

Drip irrigation is an effective irrigation method for saving water and increasing yield. It needs to be provided at 15 litres per plant per day from planting to the fourth month. From the fifth month to the shooting stage, it increases to 20 litres per plant per day. From the shooting stage to 15 days before harvest, it reaches 25 litres per plant per day.

Bananas require a high level of nutrients in the soil. Its nutrient requirement per plant is as follows:

• FYM (10 kg)
• Nitrogen (200 – 250 gm)
• Phosphorus (60-70 gm)
• Potassium (300 gm)

Banana needs 7-8 kg nitrogen, 0.7-1.5 kg phosphorus and 17-20 kg potassium per metric ton yield. A bunch forms easily during winter with the application of 1 kg of neem cake per plant.

Fertigation is a widely used method among farmers. It is the method of applying fertilizers and other water-soluble products required by the plant during the initial stages through drip irrigation. It is valuable in mitigating nitrogen loss via leaching, volatilization and evaporation. Also, it avoids the loss of phosphorus and potassium due to soil fixation. It may also improve nutrient efficiency by applying them closer to when the plant needs them.

Intercultural Operations

Some intercultural practices are used to improve the development of banana crops. The following intercultural operations are recommended for optimum productivity of the crop:

• Weeding: During the first four months, regular weeding is needed to control and suppress weed growth. It involves spading, use of cover crops, herbicides and intercropping.
• Desuckering: Removal of unwanted suckers from banana plants. It is important in reducing the competition from the mother plant. Small suckers are removed regularly for up to 7-8 months.
• Propping: Propping is the act of supporting the bearing plant. Propping can be done with suitable propping material, such as bamboo or wooden poles, to ensure uniform bunch development.
• Mulching: It is important for conserving soil moisture. It enhances the yield productivity in banana crops. The mulch is applied at the beginning of summer (February).
• Denavelling: Removal of the male bud after completion of the female phase. It helps promote fruit’s growth.

Pest & Disease Management

Some major pests and diseases harming the banana crop are leaf spot, bunchy top, nematodes and rhizome weevil. Neem cake and dasparni arka can be applied to manage pests or diseases in organic farming. Dasparni arka is prepared by mixing 25 kg of neem leaves with 2 kg leaves (each) of drumstick, gudwel, karanj, castor, papaya, cotton, kaner, nirgudi and custard apple. It is added to 200 litres of water, 2 kg green chillies and 5-10 litres of gomutra. The solution is fermented for 15-20 days. It is filtered through muslin cloth to prepare a stock solution. 100 litres of water is added to 2.5 litres of arka to dilute the arka, and then spraying is done.

Harvesting & Yield

The harvesting method depends on the plant's height. Harvesting low-growing varieties involves cutting through the bunch stalk around 30 to 35 cm above the top hand. In taller varieties, the plant stem is cut back to bring the bunch within reach of the cultivator.

Based on market preferences, harvesting is done when the fruit is slightly or fully mature. At 75-80 % maturity, harvesting is done for long-distance transportation. After 11-12 months of planting, the crops are ready for harvest. After 18 to 10 months of harvesting the main crop, the first ratoon crop is ready. The second ratoon gets ready after 8 months of harvesting the first ratoon crop. In 27 to 30 months, three crops (one main crop and two ratoon crops) can be harvested.

Cost-Benefit Analysis of Banana Cultivation

This economic model pertains to banana cultivation in a 7.5-acre field. The total number of plants in this project is 9259, purchased at a rate of Rs. 10/plant. If we consider plant mortality, around 8700 plants will grow, offering a total production of 219900 at a yield per plant (kg) of 25. The selling rate is assumed to be Rs. 15/plant. A farmer can easily earn a gross profit of more than Rs. 7.5 lakhs in the first year.

Note that this analysis assumes several rates based on market research and historical data, so the profitability may differ based on market conditions and region. For instance, the land in this project report is owned by the farmer.

What are the Top Banana-Producing States in India?

India leads the world in banana production. In 2023-24, India's total banana production was 37.61 million MT. The top banana-producing states in India are:

Banana is one of the most popular and widely consumed fruits in India. India has performed tremendously in banana production worldwide so far. While banana cultivation is growing in India, it also faces major challenges that hamper its productivity. Nevertheless, the future of banana cultivation seems promising with organic farming methods, improved banana varieties and advancements in agricultural practices.