Varieties

Nendran (clones) :

Nedunendran, Chengalikodan, Manjeri Nendran, Zanzibar, Big Ebanga.

Table varieties :

Monmorie, Robusta, Giant governor, Dwarf Cavendish, Chenkadali, Poovan, Palayankodan, Njalipoovan, Amritsagar, Grossmichael, Karpooravally, Poomkalli, Koombilakannan, Chinali, Dudhsagar, BRS -1, BRS -2, Yangambi.

Culinary varieties :

Monthan, Bateesa, Kanchikela, Nendrapadathy.

Njalipoovan, Robusta, BRS -1 and BRS -2 are particularly suitable for intercropping in coconut gardens both under rainfed and irrigated conditions. Dudhsagar is highly resistant to major pests and diseases.

Season (planting time)

Soil with good fertility and assured supply of moisture are best suited.

Rainfed crop : April-May

Irrigated Crop : August-September

Adjust the time of planting so has to avoid high temperature and drought at the time of emergence of bunches (7-8 months after planting).

Planting materials

Select  3-4 month  old disease free sucker from healthy clumps. In the case of Nendran variety cut back pseudostem to a length of 15-20 cm from corm and remove old roots.

Methods of planting

Plant suckers upright in the centre of pits with 5 cm pseudostem remaining above soil level. Press soil around the sucker to avoid hallow air spaces.

Irrigation

Irrigation

1. During summer months, irrigate once in three days.

2. Ensure good drainage and prevent water logging.

3. About 6-10 irrigations per crop may be given depending upon soil conditions.

4. Banana var. Nendran (October planting) grown under deep water table conditions (below 2 m from ground level) needs 10 mm (40 l/plant) irrigation once in two days during summer season to ensure higher buncjh yield and better water use efficiency. Mulching the basin with 3.5 kg paddy straw(waste quality) will considerably improve the bunch yield.

Tissue Culture Banana

Tissue culture offers a rapid method of multiplication of quality, uniform, pest and disease free production of planting material details in large quantities in banana. The productivity of the banana can be increased by cultivation of tissue culture plants of selected elite ecotypes of different varieties.

Spacing

Give spacing of 2 m x 2 m (2500 plants / ha). Tissue culture plants can be used for high density planting in Nendran banana to achieve higher returns.

Pit size

   50 cm x 50 cm x 50 cm

Methods of planting

Prepare pits 15 days in advance of planting. Fill the pits with topsoil and FYM 15-20 kg per plant per pit. Plant the tissue culture plants on the top of the page at the ground level. Remove the polythene cover completely before finding without damaging the roots. Planting may be done preferably during evening hours. Provide partial shade to plants to protect against sun scorching for about two weeks. Irrigate the crop daily during initial days of establishment.

Fertilizer

Other Activities

De-suckering

De-suckering is the practice of removing unwanted suckers. As the plant grows, a number of suckers also grow from the rhizome. These suckers compete with the main plant for its food and nutrients. Thus, controlling these suckers is a must to maintain normal bunch weight and quality.

De-suckering should start from two months after planting of banana. The side suckers should be removed by cutting at their base. Hereafter, a few drops of kerosene should be poured inside it to arrest further growth. And the process should repeat every 45 days till the plant flowers.

Propping

The word ‘prop’ literally means support. Therefore, propping is the act of giving a support to the banana plant. And the support is given to protect the bunch from any damage caused by the wind. Therefore, to those plants, where there is a chance of damage by wind, need propping.

Wooden poles are used to support banana bunch where poles are available in plenty. The wooden poles are planted in the side opposite to the bunch and tied to the peduncle at the time of bunch emergence. The other method is based on mutual support principle by connecting one bunch to the adjacent pseudo stem with twine. There is another practice of raising wooden poles at the edges of the field and connecting each bunch in the raw to the poles by steel wires. Another method is providing wind break in the direction from where wind normally comes.

Inter-cropping

Inter-cropping means cultivation of vegetables, or such short duration crops, in the interspaces of young banana plants. The basic purpose of intercropping is to generate some additional income . The inter-crops also act as soil mulch. Thus, they will checks weed growth and assist in water conservation. Further, they improve the microbial activity in the soil and thereby enhances the nutrient availability. Thus, going for intercropping is advisable if time and resource permit.

Cucumber and amaranth can be cultivated profitably with banana raised in September-October without affecting the bunch weight. For vegetable purpose, cucumber may be harvested within 95 days and for seed purpose the duration may be about 130 days. Greater yam and elephant foot yam can be profitably intercropped with Nendran.

Other activities

Leaf pruning, bunch covering and de-navelling are the other major operations in the field. Leaf pruning is the act of removing the dead and diseased leaves. The practice is recommended mainly to arrest the spread of diseases in the field. Further, the act also facilitates the growing plant to get more light and heat for its growth.

De-navelling is the practice of removing the male bud that is seen below the fingers. It is done to arrest the movements of food materials down from the bunch. It should be done immediately after the opening of the bunch. And the act is found to enhance the fruit development and maturation of the bunch.

Bunch covering is done to make the bunch more beautiful. Covered bunches protect the fruit from hazardous effects of heat and cold. It also prevents the bunch from eating away by birds and squirrels. And the harvesting time can be accordingly adjusted by covering the bunches. Further, many research studies have shown that the bunch weight also increases through the process.

Harvesting

Harvesting of banana is done normally when the fruit matures.  Export markets need the fruit at three-fourth full maturity. During that stage, the ridge on the surface of the skin slowly changes from angular to round.

Bananas are harvested at various stages of its maturity depending upon the purpose for which it is cultivated, such as culinary, table purpose etc., and distance to the market (3/4 full maturity in Robusta for distant markets, while full maturity for local market etc.).

The assessment of the harvesting maturity is itself is a skilled job. The harvesting in India is usually done by visual judging. The duration of flowering to maturation in days can also be taken as a guide to harvest index. It takes around 90 to 120 days for the fruit to mature after shooting. And, the level of maturity intern is also dependable on the market requirements.

The cultivars like "Poovan', 'Monthan', 'Rasthali' and Dwarf Cavendish are ready for harvest in 11 to 12 months from date of planting. Dwarf Cavendish (Basrai) takes 14 months in Maharashtra. Some cultivars like Nendran in Kerala takes only 10 months for harvest. Yields are highly variable.

Harvest should be done with a sharp knife. And the cut should be made 20-25 cm above the first hand. During this stage special care should be given to avoid the cut end come in contact with soil.

After harvesting, the pseudostems should be cut leaving a stump of about 0.6 m height. This practice is called muttocking. Experimental evidence showed that the left over stump with its stored food material continues to nourish the daughter sucker (follower) till it withers and dries up.

Value added product

Process protocol for banana flour production

 The banana powder is prepared by drying banana slices at 70°C for 24 hours, which was pre-treated with 0.5 % citric acid for 10 min, in a convective dryer. An ethnic health mix was also developed out of Nendran banana flour and sugar (75 : 25). The best proportion of Nendran banana flour and sugar were selected based on the nutrition and sensory quality parameters. The new product could be stored for more than 6 months using suitable packaging technology.

RTE snacks from starch based food products

 An extruded ready to eat (RTE) snack food productive was developed out of starch. Based food products such as rice, cassava and Nendran banana at optimised process parameters viz; temperature (180°C), screw speed (100 rpm)  and moisture content (16%) using a single screw extruder. The best proportion of rice: banana and cassava (10:80:10) was selected based on the nutritional, engineering, textural and sensory quality parameters. Then new RTE product could be stored for more than 6 months using suitable packaging technology.

Other information

Temperature means the withstanding capacity of the plant to both cold and heat conditions. For banana the ideal temperature range is between 20 and 35 degree Celsius. When the temperature goes below 20 degree Celsius, there will be more vegetative growth. As a consequence, bunch emergence and fruit development will get arrested. And the fruit will show reddish brown discolouration on the under surface of the peel. Similarly, when the temperature goes above 35 degree Celsius, the visible symptoms will be ripening of green fruits and mixed ripening. The shelf life of such fruits will also get reduced.