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INTRODUCTION Bananas can be commercially propagated through either suckers or tissue culture plants. The banana fruit is seedless and therefore cannot be grown from seeds. Propagation of bananas is done vegetatively. This is the increase of plants using parts of the parent plant rather than seeds. Previous Next End

Vegetative Propagation Advantages of vegetative propagation are numerous. Vegetatively propagated plants grow faster than seed grown ones. Unlike seed – grown plants, vegetatively grown plants are an exact copy of the parent plant. Thus one can easily predict all the characteristics of the newly grown banana. Vegetative propagation is important for keeping the good characteristics of a particular species. Bananas produced vegetative propagation has the same genetic constitution as the parent; hence under similar conditions one can easily predict the cropping hectare. In addition, they produce fruits in the same year of planting. This is because the new plants have been extracted from adult plants that are already bearing fruits Previous Next End

Vegetative propagation also has disadvantages. For example, they have poor anchorage because the root system has less time to develop and multiplication is much slower than with seed propagation. How to Propagate Banana Plans Lacking seeds, propagation typically involves removing and transplanting part of the underground stem (called a corm). Usually this is done by carefully removing a sucker (a vertical shoot that develops from the base of the banana pseudo stem) with some roots intact. Two types of suckers can be distinguished and these are: Sword suckers Water suckers Previous Next End

The figure below shows the differences in the two types of suckers. Water sucker Sword sucker The sword sucker has a spear shape or outline. This indicates a strong attachment to the mother plant. The water sucker on the other hand has broad leaves and appears to be watery. This indicates weak attachment to the mother plant. It is thus advisable to only use sword suckers for propagation. Previous Next End

Sucker selection and treatments Sword suckers of 1. 5 to 2. 0 kg weight, free from diseases and nematodes should be used. They are prepared by trimming off the roots and decayed portion of the corm and cutting the pseudostem leaving 20 cm from the corm. The suckers can be graded and grouped based on their size before planting. To avoid wilt disease in Rasthali, Monthan, Ney Vannan, Virupakshi and other wilt susceptible varieties, infected portions of the corm may be pared, dipped for 5 minutes in 0. 2% Carbendizim solution (2 g in 1 lit of water) prior to planting. Previous Next End

The pared corms may be dipped in a slurry solution of 4 parts clay plus 5 parts water and can be sprinkled with 40 g of Carbofuran 3 G granules to control nematodes. Alternatively, the corms can also be dipped in with 0. 75% Monocrotophos (2 ml Monocrotophos 36 WSC / 1 of water), shade dried for atleast 24 hours and planted. In some countries, commercial propagation occurs by means of tissue culture. This is a specialized process. Pieces cut from the banana stem are placed in a culture solution containing nutrients and growth chemicals. The growth chemicals cause roots and shoots to appear and grow. The seedlings are cared for in trays. They are then transferred from the trays to pots. Usually they remain in the pots for 2 -3 months before planting. Previous Next End

Tissue Cultured Propagation Previous Next End

At present, tissue culture plants of choice varieties of banana are commercially available. The cost of these planting materials is higher compared to suckers, but so also the benefits. The plants are initially free from disease inoculum and hence proved to be very vigourous once they establish in the field. Occasionally, some plants may show distinctly different traits than that is normally expected in the field. These variations are known as somaclonal variations and they primarily occur due to improper cultural conditions when the supplier propagated them under laboratory Previous Next End

such variations are noted in more than 5% of the plants supplied then the income to the grower will be affected significantly. These somaclonal variant plants may take longer duration for shooting and harvest and sometimes they may not yield any marketable bunches. Hence, the growers should ensure the quality of plants supplied before planting. Only uniform sized, hardened plants should be procured for planting. Compared to conventional suckers, the tissue culture plants will easily suffer post planting diseases due to soil borne pathogens such as Erwinia bacterial wilt. Hence, periodical drenching with bleaching powder @ 2 g/l at an interval of 10 -15 days can be taken up if such infection is noted. Previous Next End

Systems of cultivation in Tamil Nadu Bananas are grown either under garden land conditions or wetland conditions (after paddy) either as annual crops or sometimes allowed for ratooning. In certain areas such as deltaic ‘Padugai’ lands of Thanjavur district, perennial cultivation of bananas is a common practice. Similarly, the hill bananas in Shevroys and Lower Pulney hills are also cultivated in the perennial system. They are planted principally as a commercial mixed crop along with coffee in these hills of Tamil Nadu to derive additional income. Previous Next End

Choosing a Site The land must be flat or a gentle slope. The risk of erosion is increased if the slope becomes too steep. With erosion comes poor anchorage of the plant making it more likely to fall over The land must be close to an all-year-round water source such as stream, river, water canal, borehole etc. This is so because bananas require adequate water supply throughout the year. The chosen land must be protected from strong wind, animals and thieves which may cause damage or loss of yield. The area must be frost-free as frost damages both the leaves and fruit causing a reduction in the quantity or quality of yield. Heavy clays need to be avoided because of poor drainage in as much as sands should as they harbour nematodes. Previous Next End

FIELD PREPARATION AND MANAGEMENT Soil Alluvial soils of river valleys are ideal for banana growing. Bananas prefer an acid soil but if the p. H is below 5. 0 lime should be applied the second year. Low p. H makes bananas more susceptible to Panama disease. Where water logging is likely, bananas and plantains are grown on raised beds. Low, perennially wet soils require draining and dry soils require irrigation. Previous Next End

Wet land In wet lands no painstaking preparatory cultivation is needed. Planting is carried out in small pits accommodating the corms. It will be necessary to take 60 cm deep trenches around a block of 4 - 6 plants to serve both as irrigation canals and drainage channels. Garden land The land can be ploughed 2 -4 times and leveled. A pit size of 45 cm x 45 cm is normally required. The pits are to be refilled with topsoil, mixed with 10 kg of FYM, 250 g of neem cake and 50 g of Lindane 1. 3% to each pit. The suckers are planted at the centre of the pit keeping a portion of the pseudostem above the ground level and the soil should be pressed around. Previous Next End

Padugai In the padugai lands one deep mammutti digging is sufficient and the corms are planted at the required spacing after scooping the soil. The pits are refilled with topsoil, mixed with 10 kg of FYM, 250 of Neem cake and 50 g of Lindane 1. 3% to each pit. Hill banana It is necessary to remove the scrub jungle initially. If trees are present at the borders of the land, they need not be disturbed as they may serve as wind breaks. Stone embankments can be raised to avoid soil erosion. The pits can be dug at the required spacing and corms planted. The pits are refilled with topsoil mixed with 10 kg of FYM, 250 g of Neem cake and 50 g of Lindane 1. 3% to each pit. Previous Next End

PLANTING Planting Time The best times for planting bananas are January/February period and August/September period, because conditions are more ideal during these times. The timing also ensures that flowering of the plant does not initiate during the peak of winter. Such a coincidence will result in malformed bananas, a condition called November dump because it occurs when bananas are planted around November. Plants planted in the January/February period take a longer time to grow but are likely to produce bigger bunches (fruit) than the August/September plants. Previous Next End

August/September plants grow faster because of the hot season and later the rainy season but are unlikely to produce bigger bunches Season of planting in tamil nadu The planting season and the choice of varieties may vary with the system of cultivation in parts of Tamil Nadu. The planting season should be so chosen to avoid any environmental interference to the normal growth of the plant especially during the 5 th to 7 th month. Wet lands February – April : April – May : Previous Poovan, Rasthali, Monthan, Karpooravalli and Ney Poovan Nendran and Robusta Next End

Garden lands January-February and November-December. Padugai lands January-February and August-September Hill Banana April-May (lower Pulney hills), June-August (Sirumalai) As a general practice, the cultivars Dwarf Cavendish, Robusta and Nendran are not recommended for ratooning because of nematode build up in the soil in the ratoon crop cycle. Previous Next End

PLANTING Fill the hole with water a day before planting. Fill the hole with top soil and if necessary, some of the subsoil to obtain the correct planting depth. 15 centimeters of the pseudo stem should be below ground level. Place the sucker in the hole. Previous Next End

Use the planting stick to make sure the plant is placed midway between the two pegs. 5. The top of the underground stem should be 15 cm below ground level. Cover with 10 cm of soil Make a basin (about 90 cm diameter) around the plant. Fill the basin with water. Previous Next End

After planting follow watering guideline as per chapter 5. 2– 3 weeks after planting apply 16 g of Temik per plant. Dig a shallow trench around the plant and spread the Temik. Cover up the Temik with soil. After 1 -2 months of planting check and replace poorly growing plants. You can either replace the pant, or if the plant was only damaged during planting but still looks healthy, the plant can be cut just below the damaged part. Keep the basin area clean and well watered. Remove weeds by hand from the basis to avoid damaging the roots. Weeds outside of the basin need to be slashed to avoid soil erosion. Previous Next End

Spacing The spacing will vary from variety to variety depending on topography, soil fertility, system of cultivation etc. The normal spacing under conventional system of planting for the different varieties are as follows. Spacing in different systems System Garden land Variety Spacing No. of plants / ha Robusta, Nendran Dwarf Cavendish 1. 8 x 1. 8 m 1. 5 x 1. 5 m 3086 Wet land Poovan, Monthan, Rasthali, Ney Vannan, Ney Poovan 2. 1 x 2. 1 m 2267 Hills Virupakshi (Sirumalai), Namarai and Ladan 3. 6 x 3. 6 m 750 Previous Next End 4444

References: Veeraraghavathatham , D. , M. Jawaharla, S. Jeeva and R. Rabindran. 1996. Scientific fruit culture. Chattopadhyay, 1994. A text book on pomology. Kalyani publishers. Ludhiana. Nakasone, A. Y. and R. E. Paul, 1998. Tropical fruit. CAB international publishing ltd. Bal J. S. , 1997. Fruit growing, Kalyani publishers. Ludhiana Singh, S. P. 1995. Commercial fruits. Kalyani publishers. Ludhiana. Previous Next End

Assesment 1) 2) 3. 4. 5. Bananas can be commercially propagated through either suckers or tissue culture plants (True/ False) What sucker was suitable for banana propagation a). Water sucker b). Sword sucker Somaclonal variant plants may take longer duration for shooting and harvest and sometimes they may not yield any marketable bunches. (True/ False). Low p. H makes bananas more susceptible to _______. a). Leaf spot b). Panama disease c). Pseudo stem weevil The best times for planting bananas are January/February period and August/September period, because conditions are more ideal during these times. (True/ False). Previous End