Effect of integrated nutrient management on leaf nutrient status, growth and yield of tissue culture banana (Musa sp.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at instructional cum research farm, SASRD, Nagaland University during 2017-19 to study the effect of integrated nutrient management on leaf nutrient status, growth, flowering and yield of tissues culture banana (Musa sp.) cv. Grand Naine under foot hill condition of Nagaland. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with eight treatments and three replications. Among the various treatments, application of 100% NPK + 15kg FYM + biofertilizer showed the best result for vegetative growth like pseudostem height (177.7 cm), pseudostem girth (65.4 cm), number of functional leaves (14.8), phyllochron (7.0 days) and leaf nutrient status (2.66% N, 0.23% P and 2.89% K) at shooting stage. Nitrogen content in index leaf increased gradually at 5 MAP (2.33 to 3.10%) and there after declined at shooting stage (2.14 to 2.72%) in all treatments. Similarly, higher phosphorus content (0.18 to 0.25%) in index leaf was noted at 3 MAP while, higher potassium content at 5 MAP (2.76 to 3.44%) and at shooting stage (2.28 to 3.10%). The reproductive growth, such as days for emergence of inflorescence (239.0 days), days from planting to harvesting (360.6 days), number of hands (10.8), bunch weight (27.6 kg) and yield (85.17t ha-1) were highest with application of 75% NPK + 15kg FYM + 1kg V.C + 1kg P.M + biofertilizers. Integrated nutrient management in improving the growth and yield was found to be effective as compared to use of organic manure or inorganic fertilizers alone.