Banana is the leading fruit crop of India at nearly
32.56% of the total fruit production in the country. In India,
banana ranks third in terms of area (0.776 million ha) and
first in terms of production (26.51 million tonnes) among
fruit crops (Anon., 2013). Banana is a very popular fruit
due to its low price, year-round availability, varietal range,
taste, medicinal value and nourishment, among all the fruits.
In the banana crop, it is essential to induce quick growth
and produce more leaves with a larger leaf area. It is a gross
feeder of nutrients and responds well to nitrogen and
phosphorus. Indian soils are deficient in nitrogen (N) and
phosphorous (P) and these two plant nutrients, together with
organic manure, play an important role in getting good crop
returns (Datt and Sundharam, 2005). Dosage and type of
nutrient to be applied depends up on the cultivar, inherent
soil-fertility, stage of plant growth, climate, etc. A better
vegetative growth ensures better bunch development. High
fertilization-requirement in banana is due mainly to its rapid
and vigorous growth, and high fruit yield. Banana as a crop
is  new to Punjab, therefore, requisite information on nutrient

Influence of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization on fruiting and yield characteristics in
ratoon crop of banana (Musa spp. AAA) cv. Grande Naine

K.S. Navaneethakrishnan, H.S. Dhaliwal, M.I.S. Gill and J.S. Brar
Department of Fruit Science, Punjab Agricultural University

Ludhiana-141 004, India
E-mail: dhaliwal_mandhali@pau.edu

ABSTRACT
In ratoon crop of banana cv. Grande Naine, date of shooting could be advanced by 35 days with application

of 200g N in 5 splits + 60g P2O5 (86 days), compared to 300g N in 5 splits + 60g P2O5 (121 days). Subsequently,
date of harvest also got advanced by 53 days, and fruits were harvested on 9th December in the same treatment.
Higher dose of N fertilization delayed shooting and harvesting period, taking 121 days for shooting and 145
days from shooting to harvest in the treatment 300g N (5 split doses) + 90g P2O5. Various N and P treatments
affected bunch weight and number of hands per bunch significantly. Although N and P combination-treatments
had no significant effect on bunch weight or number of hands per bunch, application of 200g N in 5 splits and
60g P2O5 per plant gave maximum bunch weight (18.11kg) and number of hands per bunch (10.61). Minimum
bunch weight (15.37kg) and the least number of hands per bunch (7.08) were obtained with  150g N in 5 splits
+ 90g P2O5. Hand-weight (2.20kg), number of fingers per hand (19.75), and finger length (20.30cm) was highest
with application of 200g N in 5 splits + 60g P2O5 per plant. Least hand-weight (1.64kg), number of fingers per
hand (15.77), and finger-length (17.92cm) was recorded with 150g N in 5 splits + 90g P2O5. Bunch weight,
number of hands per bunch, hand-weight and number of fingers per hand too was affected significantly with
sole application of nitrogen or phosphorus.

Key words: Banana, fertilization, nitrogen, phosphorus, yield

J. Hortl. Sci.
Vol. 11(1):80-82, 2016

Short communication

management for optimal growth and fruiting needs to be
generated. Thus, an urgent need was felt for gathering this
valuable information for optimal production of banana under
the sub-tropical conditions of Punjab. Therefore, the present
investigations were carried out to study the effect of N and
P on fruiting and yield characteristics in banana cv. Grande
Naine under Punjab conditions.

The investigation was carried out at Fruit Research
Farm of Department of Fruit Science, Punjab Agricultural
University, Ludhiana. Nitrogen and phosphorus-containing
fertilizers were applied to the ratoon crop of banana cv.
Grande Naine. The plants were subjected to uniform cultural
practices, excepting fertilizer treatments. These included
two P treatments, viz., 60g and 90g per plant and six N
treatments, viz., 150g (5 split doses), 150g (4 split doses),
200g (5 split doses), 250g (4 split doses), 250g (5 split
doses), 300g (5 split doses); twelve N and P combination-
treatments were also tested, viz., T1- 150g N (5 split doses)
+ 60g P2O5; T2- 150g N (5 split doses) + 90g P2O5; T3- 200g



81

Effect of N and P fertilizer on yield in banana ratoon crop

N (4 split doses) + 60g P2O5; T4- 200g N (4 split doses) +
90g P2O5; T5- 200g N (5 split doses) + 60g P2O5; T6- 200g
N (5 split doses) + 90g P2O5; T7- 250g N (4 split doses) +
60g P2O5; T8- 250g N (4 split doses) + 90g P2O5; T9- 250g
N (5 split doses) + 60g P2O5; T10- 250g N (5 split doses) +
90g P2O5; T11- 300g N (5 split doses) + 60g P2O5; and T12-
300g N (5 split doses) + 90g P2O5. For supplying nitrogen,
urea was applied in four, and five, split doses in the months
of May, June, July and August, and, in the months of May,
June, July, August and September, respectively. Phosphorus
was applied in the form of single-super-phosphate at the
time of planting, along with farm yard manure. The date of
shooting, i.e., the first distinguishing feature between the
vegetative and reproductive apex (involving production of
the bract primordium with thinner base) was noted in each
plant. Number of hands per bunch was recorded, and, the
average of eight plants was pooled; number of fingers per
hand was recorded as an average of three hands selected
randomly, i.e., upper, lower and middle, finger length of
randomly selected hands was measured with a scale, weight
of the 2nd and 3rd hand of the bunch was recorded in
kilograms; bunch weight in each plant was recorded and
date of harvest noted for each of the experimental plants as
per criteria given by Dhillon et al (2002).

Date of shooting was observed to be affected by
different doses of N, P and combinations thereof. Maximum
number of days (121) taken to shooting was recorded in the
treatment T12 (300g N in 5 split doses+ 90g P2O5), whereas,
it took minimum number of days (86) in the treatment T5
(200g N in 4 split doses + 60g P2O5), Thus, there was a
delay of 35 days in T12 compared to T5 (Table 1). Similarly,

Table 1. Effect of various combinations of N and P fertilizers on shooting and date of harvest in the ratoon crop of banana cv. Grand Naine
Treatment Date of Days Date of Days Bunch No. of Hand No. of Finger-length

shooting taken to  harvest taken weight hands weight fingers (cm)
shooting from (kg) per (kg) per

shooting bunch hand
to harvest

T1-150g N(5 split doses)+60g P2O5 Sept.19 98 Jan. 3 106 15.88 7.19 1.66 16.51 18.25
T2-150g N(5 split doses)+90g P2O5 Sept. 25 104 Jan. 6 102 15.37 7.08 1.64 15.77 17.92
T3-200g N(4 split doses)+60g P2O5 Sept. 10 89 Dec. 14 95 17.57 10.08 2.04 19.19 19.24
T4-200g N(4 split doses)+90g P2O5 Sept. 20 98 Dec. 24 95 17.17 9.41 2.01 18.80 18.74
T5-200g N(5 split doses)+60g P2O5 Sept. 7 86 Dec. 9 92 18.11 10.61 2.20 19.75 20.30
T6-200g N(5 split doses)+90g P2O5 Sept. 13 91 Dec. 19 96 17.65 9.98 2.08 19.40 19.40
T7-250g N(4 split doses)+60g P2O5 Sept. 23 102 Jan. 5 129 16.83 9.09 1.96 18.14 19.00
T8-250g N(4 split doses)+90g P2O5 Oct. 4 114 Feb. 22 140 16.51 8.50 1.84 17.92 18.36
T9-250g N(5 split doses)+60g P2O5 Oct. 3 113 Feb. 23 142 16.08 7.51 1.76 16.98 17.85
T10-250g N(5 split doses)+90g P2O5 Oct. 9 112 Mar. 4 145 15.79 7.30 1.64 16.07 17.59
T11-300g N(5 split doses)+60g P2O5 Oct. 9 119 Mar. 2 143 16.42 8.11 1.88 17.74 18.55
T12-300g N (5 split doses) +90g P2O5 Oct.11 121 Mar. 6 145 16.12 7.62 1.78 17.21 17.98
CD (5%) - - - - NS NS NS NS NS

Table 2. Effect of various doses of applied N fertilizer on bunch
weight (kg) and number of hands per bunch in the ratoon crop of
banana cv. Grand Naine
Treatment Bunch No. of Hand- No. of Finger-

weight hands weight fingers length
(kg) per (kg) per (cm)

bunch hand
N1-150g N 15.63 7.13 1.65 16.14 18.08
(5 split doses)
N2-150g N 17.37 9.75 2.02 18.99 18.99
(4 split doses)
N3-200g N 17.88 10.29 2.14 19.58 19.85
(5 split doses)
N4-250g N 16.67 8.80 1.90 18.03 19.68
(4 split doses)
N5-250g N 15.93 7.40 1.70 16.52 17.72
(5 split doses)
N6-300g N 16.27 7.86 1.83 17.47 18.26
(5 split doses)
CD (P=0.05) 0.22 0.35 0.05 0.37 0.37

date of harvest was also affected by fertilizer application.
Maximum number of days (145) from shooting to harvest
was recorded in the treatments T10 and T12 (250g N in 5
splits + 90g P2O5, and 300g N in 5 splits + 90g P2O5,
respectively); whereas, harvesting was advanced by 53 days
in the treatment in T5 (200g N in 5 splits + 90g P2O5) which
took just 92 days to harvest. Delay in harvest at higher dose
of fertilization may be due to the increased vegetative
growth stimulated by N application. However, Babu and
Bujarbaruah (2001) reported that application of N stimulated
early shooting and reduced the number of days taken to
maturity. Sole application of N (Table 2) or P (Table 3)
influenced bunch-weight significantly as also the mean
number of hands per bunch; but, in combined application,

J. Hortl. Sci.
Vol. 11(1):80-82, 2016



82

these nutrients did not affect bunch-weight or number of
hands per bunch significantly. In the case of N treatments,
maximum bunch-weight (17.88kg) and number of hands
per bunch (10.29) was seen in N3 treatment (200g N in 5
splits), followed by N2 treatment (200g N in 4 splits).
Similarly, hand-weight, number of fingers per hand, and
finger-length were also significantly higher in N3 treatment
(200g N in 5 splits). In P treatments, bunch-weight (16.81),
number of hands per bunch (8.76), hand-weight (1.92kg)
and number of fingers per hand were significantly higher
in P1 treatment (60g P2O5), than in  P2 (90g P2O5). Increased
bunch-weight with N application may be attributed to
increased growth, consequently more number of fingers per
hand and more number of hands per bunch (perhaps due to
increased availability of the nutrient at critical stages of
growth, which may have enhanced photosynthates that led
to accumulation of more carbohydrates and other
metabolites, and, ultimately translocation to the fruit tissue)
(Harold and George, 1960). Phosphorus also increased
growth and improved the foliar status of the plant, thus
enhancing ATP formation and providing physiological
efficiency. This may indirectly increase the yield (Parida et
al, 1994). Singh and Suryanarayana (1999) also reported
highest bunch weight, number of hands per bunch and
highest number of fingers per hand with application of 200g
N per plant in 4 split doses in banana cv. Dwarf Cavendish.
Yield-attributing characters like bunch weight, number of
hands per bunch and number of fingers per hand markedly
increased upon treatment with 300g N, 200g P2O5 and 250g
K2O per plant in 5 split applications in banana cv. Dwarf

Table 3. Effect of two different doses of applied P fertilizer on hand-
weight (kg), number of fingers per hand, and finger-length (cm) in
the ratoon crop of banana cv. Grand Naine
Treatment Bunch No. of Hand- No. of Finger-

weight hands weight fingers length
(kg) per (kg) per (cm)

bunch hand
P1- 60g P2O5 16.81 8.76 1.92 18.05 18.86
P2 - 90g P2O5 16.43 8.31 1.83 17.53 18.33
CD (P=0.05) 0.32 0.02 0.01 0.82 NS

Cavendish (Tirkey et al, 2003). Naresh and Sharma (2004)
also reported an increase in the yield of banana cv. Jahajee
with application of 240g N. In conclusion, it can be inferred
that application of 200g N in 5 split doses (May, June, July,
August and September) and 60g P2O5 (in the month of May)
per plant in banana cv. Grande Naine proved was the best
among all treatments tested, in terms of bunch formation
and fruit yield.

REFERENCES
Anonymous. 2013. National Horticulture Board Database

(www.nhb.gov.in)
Babu, N. and Bujarbaruah, K.M. 2001. Effect of nitrogen

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Production in Tribal Region, Ranchi, July 25-26,
2001

Dhillon, W.S., Kamboj, J.S. and Bal, J.S. 2002. Maturity
indices and harvesting of fruit crops. Post Harvest
Handling of Fruit and Vegetables, PAU, Ludhian,
p. 26

Datt, R. and Sundharam, K.P.M. 2005. Indian economy.
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Harold, J.E. and George, G.S.1966. Role of mineral elements
with emphasis on univalent cations. Annu. Rev. Pl.
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Naresh, B. and Sharma, A. 2004. Effect of different nitrogen
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and quality of Jahajee banana. South Indian Hort.,
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banana. Indian Agri., 83:43-50

Singh, D.B. and Suryanarayana, M.A. 1999. Respone of
‘Cavendish’ banana to different nitrogen levels and
their split application. J. Appl. Hort., 1:122-24

Tirkey, T., Pandey, S.D. and Agrawal, S. 2003. Studies on
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Navaneethakrishnan et al

J. Hortl. Sci.
Vol. 11(1):80-82, 2016

(MS Received 19 June 2014, Revised 16 November 2015, Accepted 08 January 2016)