Effect of subsurface drip fertigation on growth, yield attributes and microbial population of banana cv. Rasthali

Field experiment was carried out during 2010-2011 at All India Coordinated Research Programme Water Management block, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai. There were eleven treatments replicated three times in randomized block design using banana cv. Rasthali as a test crop. In recent years, fertigation a technique of application of both water and fertilizers via an irrigation system was shown to be very effective in achieving higher water and fertilizer use efficiency. In this method, both water and fertilizer are delivered precisely in the crop root zone as per the crop need and according to crop developmental phase. Increased growth and yield with sub surface drip irrigation has been reported earlier in several crops. The current results revealed that pseudostem girth increased markedly with nitrogen and potassium fertigation levels. Significantly higher plant height was observed with the application of nitrogen and potassium each at the rate of 200 g per plant. The increase in plant height and girth could be largely due to regular supply of nutrients through fertigation. The 75% RDF through drip fertigation increased plant height (278.8 cm) and stem circumference (68.54 cm) of banana as compared to a plant height of 253.7 cm and stem circumference of 64.23 cm observed under soil application.