Effect of micronutrients on growth and yield of banana cv. Grand Naine (AAA) under foothills of Arunachal Pradesh

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out in the Experimental Farm, Department of Fruit Science, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Central Agricultural University, Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with nine treatments and three replications. Treatments given were: T1-Control, T2-Foliar spray of ZnSO4 (0.5%), T3-Foliar spray of FeSO4 (0.2%), T4-Foliar spray of CuSO4 (0.2%), T5-Foliar spray of H3BO3 (0.1%), T6-Combination of foliar spray of H3BO3 (0.1%) and CuSO4 (0.2%), T7-Combination of foliar spray of ZnSO4 (0.5%) and FeSO4 (0.2%), T8-Combination of foliar spray of ZnSO4 (0.5%), FeSO4 (0.2%) and CuSO4 (0.2%) and T9-Combination of foliar spray of ZnSO4 (0.5%), FeSO4 (0.2%), CuSO4 (0.2%) and H3BO3 (0.1%). All the treatments except control were effective in increasing growth and yield. The highest pseudostem height (231.71 cm) was observed in T8, while girth (72.85 cm), leaf area (12.76 m2) and leaf area index (5.34) were highest in T9. Maximum increase in production of fruits (50.75 t/ha) was recorded in treatment T9, while yield was minimum (33.03 t/ha) in T1-Control. Better growth and yield were observed in combination of the treatments. The highest cost: benefit ratio was observed in T9 (1: 2.72). Hence, the treatment T9-Combination of foliar spray of ZnSO4 (0.5%), FeSO4 (0.2%), CuSO4 (0.2%) and H3BO3 (0.1%) was considered the best treatment among all the other treatments in attaining better growth and yield of fruits.