Standardization of stage-wise requirement of nutrients
in banana cv. Grande Naine (AAA)

T.N. Balamohan, J. Auxilia1 and R. Sudha2
Department of Fruit Crops

Horticultural College and Research Institute
 Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore – 641 003, India

E-mail: rsudhahort@yahoo.co.in

ABSTRACT
A field trial was conducted during 2009-2010 at College Orchard, Horticultural College and Research Institute,

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, to standardize stage-wise requirement of nutrients in banana cv.
Grand Naine (AAA). Treatment T16 where application of 100% RDF (165:52.5:495g NPK plant

-1) at 4 critical growth
stages, i.e., 40:52.5:25, 30:0:35, 30:0:25 and 0:0:15% at the 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th months after planting (MAP),
respectively, recorded maximum plant height, pseudostem girth and leaf area index. Maximum bunch weight of
32.15kg was recorded in T16. Higher yield was attributed to more number of (i) hands per bunch, (ii) fingers per hand
and (iii) per bunch, besides the higher average weight of the finger. Better quality fruits, with higher TSS, total
sugars, low acidity and better sugar:acid blend, were obtained in T16.

 In treatment T16, where 100% RDF was applied,
increased N, P, and K content were seen in the index leaf of the crop. Lower soil-available nutrients, viz., N, P, K, at the
higher level of split-application at critical stages of the crop revealed, that, the nutrients applied were utilized efficiently.
This was reflected in the better yield and quality obtained. Economics were worked out which indicated T16 as giving
the highest cost:benefit ratio (1:3.97).

Key words: Banana, Grande Naine, stage-wise nutrient requirement, yield, quality, cost:benefit ratio

J. Hortl. Sci.
Vol. 10(2):165-171, 2015

INTRODUCTION
Banana, the second largest fruit crop in the world

in terms of cultivation, produced in the tropical and subtropical
regions, is recognized as the fourth most important food
commodity in terms of gross value next only to paddy, wheat
and milk products. India is the largest producer of banana
in the world, accounting for about 25% of the global output.
Its availability round-the-year at a reasonable cost, and its
ready acceptance by all sections of the society, make it a
very popular fruit. Peninsular India, especially the states of
Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, constitute an area of
great diversity of both the banana and the plantain. Over
five lakh small- and medium- farmers depend on banana
cultivation for livelihood in our country. Though the farmers
spend huge amounts on fertilizer, only 50% of the potential
crop yield is realized owing to poor fertilizer use efficiency.
With a growing population and enhanced awareness among
public about health and nutritional aspects of banana, the
country’s requirement in the next 20 years is expected to
go up to 25 million tonnes. This volume of production can
be achieved through increased productivity while ensuring

better fertilizer use efficiency. Banana is a voracious feeder
of nutrients; therefore, addition of mineral fertilizer stands
to have a major effect on yield potential. Banana requires
high amounts of K than N or P to ensure high yield and
quality. It is estimated that a crop of 50 tonnes of banana in
one hectare removes 320kg N, 32kg P2O5 and 925kg K2O
every year. Hence, it is of paramount importance to maintain
a high degree of soil fertility by timely and judicious
application of NPK for achieving good fruit yield and quality
in banana. In Tamil Nadu, nutrients are applied in three split
doses during the 3rd, 5th and 7th month after planting (MAP)
@ 110:35:330g/NPK/plant/year; But, under tropical
conditions, soil nutrients are leached/ lost rapidly due to
various factors. Therefore, it is important to apply nutrients
at the critical stages of crop growth in small doses, at shorter
intervals, to minimize loss of nutrients and cost of production.
Though extensive information is available on nutrient
requirement in banana, very little work has been done on
stagewise nutrient requirement in this crop. This necessitates
research on application of nutrients at various stages of crop
growth to derive maximum benefit from a given quantity of

1Horticultural College and Research Institute, TNAU, Periyakulam, Tamil Nadu, India
3Central Potato Research Station, Muthorai, Ooty, The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India



166

the nutrient. With this background, the present study was
undertaken to standardize stagewise nutrient requirement
in banana cv. Grand Naine under Coimbatore conditions to
achieve improved yield and quality.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
Soil parameters

A field experiment was conducted at the College
Orchard, Horticultural College and Research Institute, Tamil
Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, during 2009-2010.
Soil type in the experimental field was clayey-loam, and its
initial status revealed that it was alkaline (pH 8.41), medium
in EC (0.32 dSm-1), available N (216.7kg ha-1), available K
(453.60kg ha-1) and low in available P (18.32kg ha-1). The
experiment was laid out using tissue-culture derived banana
cv. Grand Naine (AAA). Drip irrigation was provided to
the experimental plot.

Experiment details

The treatments consisted of three nutrient levels (L1:
60% recommended dose of fertilizer, L2: 80% recommended
dose of fertilizer, and L3: 100% recommended dose of
fertilizer) and four stages of nutrient application (3rd month,
5th month, 7th month and 9th month after planting). Per cent
nutrients applied at each stage are given hereunder:

Treatment Per cent nutrient level / stage of growth
3 MAP* 5 MAP 7 MAP 9 MAP

(Vegetative (Flower-bud (Pre-flowering/ (Flowering/
stage) initiation flowering bunch

 stage) stage) stage)
N K 2O N K 2O N K 2O N K 2O

S1 10 10 40 20 30 30 20 40
S2 20 15 30 25 30 30 20 30
S3 30 20 20 30 30 30 20 20
S4 40 25 30 35 30 25 0 15
S5 50 30 20 40 20 30 10 0
S6 50 20 30 40 20 40 0 0
*MAP: Months after planting

A total of 19 treatments, viz., T1 - L1S1, T2 - L1S2, T3
- L1S3, T4 - L1S4, T5 - L1S5, T6 - L1S6, T7 – L2S1, T8 - L2S2,
T9 - L2S3, T10 - L2S4, T11 - L2S5, T12 - L2S6, T13 - L3S1, T14
- L3S2, T15 - L3S3, T16 - L3S4, T17 - L3S5, T18 - L3S6 and T19
– Control (Recommended dose of fertilizer @ 165: 52.5:
495g of NPK/plant/year in 4 splits at 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th
MAP) and phosphorus was applied as a single dose, i.e., at
3rd MAP. The above-stated treatments were tested in
Randomized Block Design, with four replications. Each
treatment was spread over a net area of 12.96m2, enclosing

nine plants. All the recommended agronomic practices and
plant protection measures were applied for raising the crop.

Data analysis

Observations on morphological characters, viz.,
pseudostem height and girth, leaf area index, and bunch
characters, viz., bunch weight, number of hands and fingers,
and, average weight of finger, were recorded as per
standard procedures. Total soluble solids (TSS) were
determined by using a hand refractometer. Total sugars, total
acidity and Vitamin C were estimated using standard
methods (AOAC, 1960). For soil nutrient analysis, soil
samples were collected before planting and at harvest.
Available nitrogen in the soil was estimated by the alkaline
permanganate method (Subbiah and Asija, 1956), available
phosphorus in soil estimated using Klett Summerson
colorimeter with a red filter (Olsen et al, 1954), and,
available potassium in the soil was estimated upon extraction
with neutral N ammonium acetate using a flame photometer
(Hanway and Heidal, 1952). For plant nutrient analysis,
functional leaves were used at different stages of growth.
Nitrogen content was estimated by Microkjeldahl method
(Piper, 1966) and phosphorus content in the leaf was
estimated using triple acid extract by vanadomolybdate
phosphoric yellow colour method (Jackson, 1973). Potassium
content was estimated by flame photometry (Jackson, 1973).
Statistical analysis of the data was done as per Gomez and
Gomez (1984).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Morphological parameters

Potential yield in banana can be achieved only by
applying adequate doses of fertilizer at critical stages of
plant growth. Banana crop requires a larger quantity of
potassium, moderate quantity of nitrogen and a relatively
lower dose of phosphorus for optimal growth and yield
(Norris and Ayyar, 1942). Data on the influence of different
levels of nutrients applied during various growth stages on
growth characteristics in our study are presented in Table
1. Progressive increase in plant height and girth of the
pseudostem from 3rd MAP up to shooting was observed in
all the treatments. Among the treatments, T16 (with 100%
of RDF at four different stages) registered maximum plant
height and girth at 7th, 9th MAP, and at harvest.

Increases in plant height and girth may be attributed
to an increase in utilization of nutrients, more specifically,
nitrogen. Improved nitrogen absorption ultimately led to

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167

formation of complex nitrogenous substances like amino
acids and proteins for building new tissues (Childers, 1966).
Application of N at the critical growth stages, viz., early
vegetative stage, flower-bud initiation and differentiation
stage, and, post-shooting stage had a great influence on
growth and development, plant health and yield. Increases
in plant height and girth from application of nitrogen and
potassium is commonly noticed in banana (Basagarahally,
1996; Shakila and Manivannan, 2001; Nalina, 2002); while,
phosphorus increased the girth when applied along with K
(Jagirdar and Ansari, 1966).

Lowest plant height and stem girth were observed in
treatment T1. This could be due to an insufficient supply of
nitrogen and potassium at the initial stages of plant growth.
Reddy et al (2002) reported that increases in plant height
and girth may be largely due to a regular supply of higher
doses of nitrogen and potassium. Though banana requires
nutrient supplementation throughout its growing period,
application of N and K prior to shooting, especially, during
flower-bud initiation (4th-6th MAP) ensures uninhibited
growth, and has a greater influence on bunch-size, number
of fingers and hands per bunch, and ultimately, the yield
(Simmonds, 1982).

Leaf area index (LAI) is critical for maximum
utilization of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). In

banana, optimum LAI should be 4 to 4.5. LAI was higher
when the plants were under T17 at 3

rd MAP; T18 at 5
th MAP,

and T16 at 7
th, 9th MAP and at harvest. Rapid development

in leaf area was associated with higher accumulation of
most of the nutrients applied. In the present study too, LAI
increase was rapid between the 7th and 9th MAP as a result
of 100% RDF applied at the four critical stages (T16).
Baruah and Mohan (1991) showed that higher potassium
application increased LAI considerably in banana cv. Jahaji
(AAA group).

Yield parameters

Influence of various levels of nutrients applied at
different growth stages on yield and quality is presented in
Table 2. Among the treatments, T16 (NPK @ 165:52.5:495g
per plant at four stages of growth) registered maximum
bunch-weight (32.15kg), followed by T14 (27.96 kg) and
T13 (27.77 kg). Increase in yield may be attributed to
improved morphological traits such as plant height, girth and
number of functional leaves. Better LAI, faster rate of leaf
production and higher nutrient-uptake by plants were also
observed in this treatment (T16). This is in conformity with
Shakila (2000) and Nalina (2002). Increased yield in
treatment T16 could be due to application of optimum quantity
of fertilizers, well-spread at the four different critical stages
of crop growth. This may lead to an increase in dry matter

Table 1. Effect of various levels of fertilizer at different growth stages on growth parameters in banana cv. Grande Naine
Treatment Plant height (m) Plant girth (cm) Leaf area index

3 5 7 9 A t 3 5 7 9 A t 3 5 7 9 A t
MAP* M A P M A P M A P harvest M A P M A P M A P M A P harvest M A P M A P M A P M A P harvest

T 1 0.76 1.64 1.78 1.86 1.87 25.21 49.25 57.188 65.42 66.72 0.46 2.43 2.56 4.39 2.75
T 2 0.79 1.74 1.81 1.92 1.95 26.42 50.61 59.683 66.63 69.21 0.48 2.48 2.69 5.04 2.82
T 3 0.78 1.72 1.79 1.92 1.96 26.19 50.37 59.467 66.63 67.63 0.48 2.48 2.60 5.00 2.81
T 4 0.77 1.71 1.82 1.89 1.92 25.98 49.98 59.271 66.50 67.25 0.48 2.45 2.59 4.76 2.77
T 5 0.82 1.75 1.83 1.94 1.97 26.77 50.94 59.717 67.25 69.63 0.49 2.53 2.71 5.13 2.84
T 6 0.83 1.78 1.87 1.95 1.98 27.06 51.45 60.292 68.21 70.21 0.49 2.55 2.73 5.17 2.88
T 7 0.83 1.83 1.88 2.04 2.04 27.35 51.91 60.717 68.96 70.92 0.49 2.70 2.82 5.41 2.94
T 8 0.84 1.84 1.95 2.03 2.05 27.67 52.34 60.758 70.58 71.46 0.50 2.71 2.82 5.43 2.94
T 9 0.83 1.82 1.89 2.01 2.04 27.19 51.83 60.642 68.46 70.58 0.49 2.61 2.75 5.40 2.93
T 1 0 0.84 1.87 1.91 2.03 2.06 27.71 52.38 61.096 70.92 71.46 0.51 2.72 2.84 5.55 2.95
T 1 1 0.85 1.92 1.99 2.06 2.08 27.90 53.19 61.396 71.50 71.83 0.51 2.79 2.95 5.71 3.14
T 1 2 0.85 1.93 1.98 2.05 2.07 28.02 55.57 61.396 71.33 71.54 0.52 2.86 2.91 5.68 3.14
T 1 3 0.85 1.95 2.03 2.06 2.10 28.15 55.98 62.588 71.83 72.25 0.52 2.95 3.12 5.92 3.15
T 1 4 0.85 1.96 2.06 2.07 2.15 28.90 56.63 62.833 72.17 72.46 0.53 2.97 3.13 5.93 3.17
T 1 5 0.85 2.01 2.02 2.06 2.10 29.40 57.31 62.202 71.63 72.17 0.54 3.00 3.05 5.80 3.15
T 1 6 0.86 2.01 2.13 2.16 2.18 29.83 57.36 64.117 74.75 75.25 0.54 3.02 3.19 6.50 3.26
T 1 7 0.92 2.02 2.05 2.07 2.09 30.27 59.90 62.846 72.88 72.68 0.58 3.05 3.14 6.05 3.22
T 1 8 0.87 2.08 2.09 2.12 2.12 30.17 62.39 63.108 73.33 73.30 0.56 3.14 3.15 6.26 3.25
T 1 9 0.85 1.91 1.97 2.05 2.06 27.77 53.10 61.292 70.96 71.46 0.51 2.73 2.86 5.57 3.02
SEd 3.74 11.48 9.61 4.91 0.10 1.38 4.31 1.50 2.54 0.04 0.05 0.27 0.24 0.58 0.24
CD 7.49 23.01 19.26 9.85 0.20 2.78 8.65 3.00 5.09 0.08 (NS) 0.54 0.49 1.17 0.47
(p=0.05)
*MAP: Months After Planting

Nutrient requirement in banana cv. Grand Naine

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168

at harvest, contributing ultimately to suoerior bunch and
finger characters. Another plausible explanation is the timely
availability of required amounts of nutrients for flower-bud
initiation, a finding corroborated by Basagarahally (1996).

In the present study, a low yield obtained at lower
levels of nutrients applied (T1) is probably due to lower
uptake of nutrients, consequently lower dry-matter
production, As banana requires large amounts of potassium
before and during the reproductive stage, application of 60%
RDF is adequate for accelerating growth and development.
Kholi et al (1985) reported that application of nitrogen
increased biomass production in the leaves, rachis and flower
buds, whereas, lack of N supply confined biomass production
to the rhizome and pseudostem. In the present investigation,
lower nutrient levels led to reduced leaf size, delayed
flowering, reduced fruit number per bunch and fruit size.

Highest yield in terms of bunch weight (32.15kg
plant-1) was observed in T16. This increase was also
associated with a corresponding increase in number of hands
per bunch (10.18) and number of fingers per bunch (191.09).

In any production system, the primary objective is to
attain maximum fruit yield per unit area without affecting
fruit quality. Fruit quality in banana is judged mainly by
sugar content and acidity in the pulp. A marked effect on
fruit quality was observed with application of adequate

amount of nutrients. Higher levels of TSS (17.20%),
ascorbic acid (15.07mg/100g), total sugars (20.23%), sugar/
acid ratio (183.90) and lower acidity (0.11%) were recorded
in fruits under T16. Higher fruit-quality, especially sugar
content, can be explained on the basis of the role of nutrients,
particularly potassium, involved in carbohydrate synthesis,
breakdown and translocation of starch, synthesis of protein,
and, in neutralization of physiologically important organic
acids (Tisdale and Nelson, 1966). Several investigations have
more firmly established the involvement of K + in
carbohydrate synthesis and its absolute requirement for the
activity of the enzyme, starch synthetase (Greenberg and
Preiss, 1965).

Increased level of potassium reduced the acidity in
the pulp. This may be due neutralization of organic acids
from a high K+ level in the tissues (Tisdale and Nelson,
1966; Ram and Prasad, 1988).

Leaf nutrient content

Leaf nutrient concentration in the banana plant
provides information on plant nutrient status, and reflects
the optimum leaf concentration of major nutrients aiding in
growth and development in the banana crop. The present
study, maximum N content was registered in treatment T16
at the 7th (3.46%), T13 at the 9

th (3.49%) MAP and at harvest
(Table 3). This may be due to an optimum availability of N

Table 2. Effect of various levels of fertilizer at different growth stages on yield and fruit quality in banana cv. Grande Naine
Treatment Bunch No. of No. of No. of Average TSS Acidity Ascorbic Total Sugar/

weight hands fingers in fingers finger (%) (%) acid sugars acid
(Kg) (bunch-1)  2nd hand (bunch-1) weight (g) (mg 100 g-1) (%) ratio

T 1 24.06 8.75 17.21 162.63 147.36 12.30 0.22 11.56 15.80 71.81
T 2 25.62 9.13 18.67 169.45 157.51 15.10 0.19 12.04 16.30 85.78
T 3 24.29 9.13 18.17 165.89 154.19 14.90 0.20 11.93 16.27 81.35
T 4 25.11 8.92 17.33 163.12 150.38 14.40 0.21 11.62 16.00 76.19
T 5 25.63 9.21 19.25 169.60 158.88 15.20 0.18 12.37 16.67 92.61
T 6 25.65 9.33 19.67 170.23 159.96 15.50 0.18 12.43 16.83 93.50
T 7 26.65 9.46 19.71 180.00 161.15 15.60 0.17 12.69 17.50 102.94
T 8 26.73 9.54 19.83 180.59 161.99 15.70 0.17 12.93 18.20 107.05
T 9 26.32 9.33 19.71 170.52 161.10 15.50 0.18 12.57 17.22 101.87
T 1 0 26.73 9.67 19.96 173.39 165.00 15.85 0.17 13.62 15.73 126.46
T 1 1 27.66 9.79 20.21 181.10 176.19 16.50 0.16 14.36 17.20 135.78
T 1 2 27.56 9.75 20.13 177.07 171.13 15.90 0.16 14.05 16.73 101.87
T 1 3 27.77 9.83 20.63 184.11 181.65 16.50 0.15 14.85 18.97 126.46
T 1 4 27.96 9.96 21.04 184.83 185.79 16.75 0.14 14.89 19.01 135.78
T 1 5 27.67 9.79 20.63 181.79 176.19 16.50 0.15 14.49 18.90 126.00
T 1 6 32.15 10.18 21.50 191.09 190.00 17.20 0.11 15.07 20.23 183.90
T 1 7 28.18 10.00 21.13 185.98 186.87 16.90 0.14 14.92 19.10 136.42
T 1 8 30.27 10.33 21.50 186.01 188.25 16.90 0.13 14.92 19.97 153.61
T 1 9 27.31 9.75 20.04 176.31 170.08 15.90 0.18 14.02 18.43 102.38
SEd 0.76 0.33 1.45 0.28 4.13 0.02 0.007 0.023 0.05 7.86
CD (p=0.05) 1.52 NS 2.91 0.56 8.29 0.04 0.015 0.046 0.10 16.45

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169

in the soil, favouring higher absorption and translocation by
roots. Lower content of N in the higher dose of applied
fertilizer, viz., T1 to T6, could be due to the osmotic effect,
which may have hindered uptake of N and supply of nitrogen
converted from the nitrate to the ammoniacal form. Also,
per cent dose of fertilizer applied was lower than in T16.

Phosphorus content in various plant parts at different
growth stages in banana cv. Grand Naine revealed that in
leaves, this nutrient increased linearly until shooting. This
may be due to an increased physiological activity in the plant
as development proceeded. Decrease in P content in leaves
at harvest could be related to mobilization of stored
assimilates to the fruit. P content was maximum in leaf
lamina at the shooting stage. This indicates that P absorbed
during earlier stages accumulates in the midrib and leaf
lamina, thereby serving as a source during peak vegetative
stages for higher photosynthetic activity. P content in the
leaves decreased at harvest showing that metabolites
containing P were translocated to the fruit. A higher demand
for P at the early stages and at flowering (Veerannah et al,
1976) and reduction in P at harvest (Twyford and Walmsley,
1974) have been reported. In the present investigation, K
content in leaves at different stages indicates that this
nutrient accumulated in the vegetative parts until shooting,
highlighting that K concentration increased with increased

physiological activity during the developmental processes.
Decrease in K content during harvest was probably due to
an increased catalytic activity of K in reproductive parts
for mobilizing metabolites from the vegetative part (despite
substantial post-shooting uptake from the soil). Veerannah
et al (1976) reported similar results in banana cv. Robusta.
Among the treatments, T16 recorded highest K content at
the 5th (4.10%) and 7th (4.21%) MAP. This may be due to
an increase in the available form of K in the soil solution.

Soil nutrient status
In the present investigation, available N, P and K were

estimated at planting and at harvest to study soil nutrient
status under various treatments (Table 4). Initial soil N status
was found to be 216.70kg/ha. Available N in the soil at
harvest under different treatments was significantly variable.
Treatment T1 (572.55kg/ha), followed by T4 (486.65kg/ha),
recorded high amounts of available N, as, 20% was applied
at the 9th MAP which was perhaps not fully utilized by the
plant (since, at 9th MAP, no vegetative growth occurs, and
only bunch-development and fruit-filling takes place). Lesser
amount of soil N was recorded in T16 (118.15kg/ha) due to
application of N upto the pre-flowering stage (7th MAP).
Thus, the plant was able to utilize N optimally for production
of the vegetative parts. Treatment T16 recorded higher bunch
yield and had 509kg ha-1 available N (which had been applied

Table 3. Effect of various levels of fertilizer at different growth stages on leaf nutrient concentration in banana cv. Grande Naine
Treatment Nitrogen (%) Phosphorus (%) Potassium (%)

5 7 9 A t 5 7 9 A t 5 7 9 A t
MAP* M A P M A P harvest M A P M A P M A P harvest M A P M A P M A P harvest

T 1 2.46 2.53 2.97 2.97 0.172 0.497 0.635 0.137 3.41 3.67 4.42 3.75
T 2 2.62 2.78 2.91 2.82 0.184 0.509 0.649 0.141 3.54 3.74 4.39 3.73
T 3 2.12 2.83 2.89 2.81 0.181 0.504 0.642 0.140 3.42 3.69 4.20 3.69
T 4 2.71 2.91 2.76 2.59 0.179 0.498 0.639 0.138 3.55 3.69 4.34 3.71
T 5 2.85 2.83 2.87 2.76 0.189 0.509 0.651 0.145 3.55 3.81 4.24 3.67
T 6 2.86 2.96 2.62 2.73 0.192 0.511 0.653 0.147 3.42 3.81 4.18 3.72
T 7 2.97 3.05 3.25 3.14 0.196 0.514 0.657 0.149 3.60 3.87 4.53 3.83
T 8 2.99 3.06 3.21 3.11 0.197 0.514 0.657 0.151 3.61 3.92 4.56 3.84
T 9 2.89 3.06 3.19 3.09 0.194 0.514 0.654 0.149 3.56 3.82 4.51 3.79
T 1 0 3.01 3.15 3.11 3.03 0.198 0.516 0.657 0.151 3.72 3.96 4.47 3.78
T 1 1 3.04 3.12 3.18 3.06 0.211 0.517 0.663 0.155 3.81 4.03 4.43 3.78
T 1 2 3.07 3.16 3.09 3.05 0.213 0.517 0.662 0.153 3.67 4.01 4.46 3.79
T 1 3 3.09 3.22 3.49 3.37 0.213 0.519 0.671 0.156 3.84 4.11 4.52 3.81
T 1 4 3.12 3.23 3.42 3.29 0.213 0.520 0.674 0.156 3.85 4.11 4.63 4.04
T 1 5 3.14 3.25 3.39 3.23 0.214 0.518 0.664 0.156 4.02 4.09 4.59 3.91
T 1 6 3.18 3.46 3.29 3.15 0.215 0.524 0.698 0.164 4.10 4.21 4.58 4.10
T 1 7 3.21 3.32 3.39 3.22 0.215 0.521 0.678 0.158 3.68 4.17 4.69 3.89
T 1 8 3.24 3.39 3.29 3.17 0.217 0.521 0.684 0.159 4.09 3.97 4.58 3.84
T 1 9 3.16 3.39 3.26 2.73 0.204 0.516 0.659 0.151 4.10 4.17 4.58 3.87
SEd 0.005 0.004 0.004 0.005 0.002 0.0009 0.002 0.002 0.005 0.004 0.004 0.003
CD (p=0.05) 0.012 0.009 0.008 0.009 (NS) (NS) (NS) (NS) 0.009 0.008 0.008 0.006
*MAP: Months After Planting

Nutrient requirement in banana cv. Grand Naine

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170

in three splits). This may be due to utilization of N, by the
plant during its critical stages of growth, in three split
applications. This may have facilitated optimum N
concentration in the soil for the entire cropping period.
Therefore, residual nutrients in the soil may be subjected to
lower loss.

Phosphorus estimated at the initial stages and at
harvest revealed that available P in the soil showed a
decreasing trend, which may be due to a continuous uptake
of this nutrient by the plant. However, differences among
treatments were not significant. Uptake of P was also
influenced substantially by potassium application. Application
of fertilizers also altered available K in the soil. Available K
in the soil at harvest showed a decreasing trend with time,
and the quantity applied. Among the various treatments,
available K in soil was lower in T5 (475.6kg/ha) and T6
(457.89kg/ha) at 60% RDF; in T11 (385.78kg/ha) and T12
(385.85kg/ha) at 80% RDF, and, in T18 (295.78kg/ha) at
100% RDF at harvest.

K content in soil in T16 treatment was lower than in
treatment T19 (in which the same dose of fertilizer was
applied in four equal splits). Higher application of potassium
in the early stages improved growth, yield and quality
attributes. As, the time of application and stage of plant
growth determines uptake and translocation of K, application

of this nutrient at four critical stages may have provided
optimal availability of K in the soil, throughout the growth
period, and facilitated better growth. Similarly, higher K
uptake for bunch-development and finger-filling also resulted
in lower levels of K in soil at harvest.

Application of 100% RDF in T16 (165:52.5:495 g
NPK plant-1 at 4 critical growth stages, i.e., 40:100:25, 30:0:35,
30:0:25, 0:0:15% at 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th MAP, respectively)
recorded highest cost:benefit ratio (1:3.97). The highest gross
and net returns realized were because of highest yield. As,
the cost of cultivation was also equal to that in the Control,
application of fertilizer this way was found to be economically
more viable.

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Table 4.  Effect of various levels of fertilizer on soil NPK (kg/ha)
during harvest in banana cv. Grande Naine
Treatment Nitrogen Phosphorus Potassium

(kg/ha) (kg/ha) (kg/ha)
T1 572.55 121.67 626.64
T2 453.65 112.57 497.46
T3 460.25 114.71 532.75
T4 486.65 118.63 573.70
T5 381.76 108.36 475.6
T6 375.48 105.45 457.89
T7 286.38 98.62 430.23
T8 276.89 97.83 429.48
T9 345.89 104.23 453.76
T10 265.70 97.20 420.76
T11 221.65 91.67 385.78
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T18 168.35 78.56 295.78
T19 249.75 96.81 419.53
SEd 2.34 0.24 1.63
CD (p=0.05) 4.66             N 3.27

Balamohan et al

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Nutrient requirement in banana cv. Grand Naine

J. Hortl. Sci.
Vol. 10(2):165-171, 2015