Influence of planting density and fertilizers on growth, phyllochron and sucker production of tissue culture banana cv. Ney poovan (AB) under hill zone of Karnataka

Abstract

The field experiment was conducted at College of Horticulture, Mudigere, to study on influence of planting density and fertilizers on growth, development and sucker production of tissue culture banana cv. Ney poovan during 2017-2018. It was laid out Factorial Randomized Block Design and replicated twice with three factors and three levels. First spacing S1- 2.0 x 2.0 m, S2- 3.0 x 2.0 m and S3-2.0 x 4.0 m, second plant density D1- single plant per pit, D2- double and D3-triple plants per pit and third factor fertilizers F1-100% RDF, F2-125% RDF and F3-150% RDF. The results revealed that, as influenced by different levels of spacing, plant density and fertilizers on plant and ratoon crop of banana. The maximum pseudostem height of plant and ratoon crop was recorded in S1 (310.26 and 304.47 cm) at shooting stage and plant density in D3 (310.44 and 309 cm). The pseudostem girth and number of green leaves was recorded maximum in S3 at 5th MAP (30.78 and 27.41 cm), (5.38 and 5.23) and in plant density was D1 at 5th MAP (31.85 and 28.24 cm) and (5.47 and 5.34) and shooting stage (62.61 and 60.18cm) and (11.92 and 11.13) of plant and ratoon crop. The absolute growth rate for pseudostem height was maximum in D2 during 3rd to 5th MAP (1.04 cm day-1). The minimum days recorded for successive leaf production (phyllochron) by plant and ratoon crop at shooting (9.14 and 8.74) (9.10 and 8.76) and 9.42 and 8.72 days) in S3D1F3 respctively. The early emergence of of suckers in plant and ratoon crop (103.49 and 107.83 DAP) was recorded in spacing S2.The maximum number of suckers production per pit of was obtained in S3 at 7th MAP (6.52 and 7.24) and shooting (9.04 and 8.32). In plant density highest suckers production was registered in D1 and F3 shooting (8.33) and (6.75 and 8.04). While interactions the treatment S3D1 recorded the maximum suckers at shooting (10.07 and 8.88) in plant and ratoon crop.