FIELD PLANTING AND CULTURAL MANAGEMENT

Site selection

For bananas to thrive optimally and give high yields, certain requirements must be met. When selecting a site for your yield, it is advisable to take these factors into account.

Soil Requirements

Bananas prefer soil that has the following characteristics:

· Deep, friable and loamy soil with a high nutrient and water holding capacity and with good drainage and aeration.

· Good depth for root development (about 0.75 m), medium high clay content and medium high cation exchange capacity.

· pH range of 4.5 to 7.5

Climatic Requirements

· Temperature: 15°C to 35°C (warm and moist regions)

· Rainfall: not less than 100 mm per month, preferably 200 to 220 mm per month unless good irrigation facilities are available

· Wind: avoid typhoon-prone areas

· Planting should be in time with the season

Other considerations

· Prevalence of diseases and pests

· Availability and cost of labor

· Nearness to roads

· Cost of land

Land preparation

Land preparation depends on the site:

· Flat land previously planted with other crops should be disc ploughed and harrowed to 0.5 m depth 2 to 3 times. Ripping of the soil will break up any compacted layers. No plowing or harrowing is needed in forests.

· Steep slopes are at risk to erosion. Hand preparation and limited tillage is recommended to avoid erosion. It is also important to work along the contour lines.


Planting density

There are several factors that need to be considered in determining plant densities. Generally,you can follow these guidelines:

Field design

There are several possible field designs for banana planting:

· Single rows

· Double rows

· Square system

· Quincunx system

· Triangular system

· Follower system

You can choose one plant per planting hole, two followers to double the density and even three plants per planting hole.

The following factors will influence your choice of field design:

· Maintenance of appropriate space to avoid damage to fruits through contact with neighboring plants

· Irrigation and drainage systems

· Field typography

· Degree of mechanization and use of equipment

· Double rows provide high yields in plant crops and cheaper, more effective bunch support with twine is possible as well as bunch covering, pest control, assessing readiness for harvest and harvesting itself.

· Cultivation system or intercropping

Planting

This depends on the availability of water (rain and/or irrigation) and planting materials. It is recommended to plant at the beginning of or early in the rainy season to take advantage of the longest possible period of growth with adequate moisture.

If no irrigation is available, planting should not be later than 6 weeks before the onset of the dry season. Avoid the harvesting period that coincides with the typhoon season.

Preparation of Planting Holes for Tissue Culture Plants

1. Dig a deep planting hole (10 to 15 cm below the soil surface) large enough for the in-vitro plant and the ball of earth around the roots.

2. If the area is infested with Fusarium wilt and nermatodes, it is recommended to burn the planting holes with rice hull. If enough rice hulls are available, cover the whole field with a layer of rice hulls of 15 to 30 cm depth and burned.

3. A pre-plant fertilizer may be applied but this is not necessary. Avoid damage to the young plant. When digging the planting hole, separate the top soil from the lower soil, place the fertilizer on the bottom of the hole and cover with top soil. The remaining soil is used to fill up the planting hole. The roots of the plantlet will not be burned by the fertilizer and the use of the more fertile is maximized

4. Water the plantlets well after planting

5. Fertilizer is usually applied soon after the establishment of the plant

Field Planting

1. Plant in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid stress of the plant due to the heat

2. Water plants well just before planting, transport to the prepared field and place them next to the planting hole

3. Strip off the bottom part of the polyethylene bag to avoid damaging the root system during planting

4. Place the plant in the planting hole and partly cover it with soil to provide stability to the plant and its root-soil clump in the bag. Gently pull the polyethylene bag (without its bottom) over the stem and the leaves of the plant.

5. Add more soil to the planting hole

After planting, always remember to:

· Water the field if necessary and feasible since in vitro plants cannot withstand dry weather conditions as well as conventional suckers and corms

· Provide special attention to the plants for the first 3 to 4 months after field planting

· Keep plants free from weeds

· Make sure that the plants are mulched, manured and fertilized according to recommended cultural practices

· Adopt suitable preventive plant-protection measures for better growth and development

Preparation for Conventional Planting

In selecting a sucker…

· The best planting material is a sword sucker about 0.5 to 0.75 m tall

· Detach sucker from mother plant

· Cut off stem 10 cm above corm

· Remove roots and adhering soil

In selecting a corm…

· Select corm from vigorous plant, at least 6 months old that has bunched yet, with cut top 10 to 15 cm in diameter, a minimum of 1 good bud and weighing at least 0.5 kg

· Trim corm; remove all soil and roots by pairing off outer skin and rotting tissues

In selecting a bit …

· Select bright pink, swollen, 2 to 3 cm bud or eye (mostly 2 upper buds)

· Split corm and attached pseudostem into 2 to 3 wedge shaped pieces, positioning the eye in the center of each bit.

· Each bit should weigh 1 to 1.5 kg and should have at least 75 mm of corm tissue on either side and behind the bud

Conventional planting materials should be carefully trimmed followed by treatment in hot water of 50 to 55°c for 15 to 2o minutes.

Corms and bits can also be dipped in a commercial nematicide, fungicide or insecticide solution but these are highly toxic. Air-dry for 5 to 15 minutes in the shade. Place the planting materials in a sanitary place 24 to 48 hours before planting

Irrigation and Drainage

The banana plant needs lot of water. Water shortage has an effect on the rate of plant growth, bunch development and the quality of the fruits.

Thus, farmers need to have at least furrow irrigation, watering hoses or even cans for watering purposes. Usually, smallholder farmers built furrow irrigation where the crop is grown on ridges between small, parallel channels made to carry water in order to irrigate the crop.

Furrow irrigation mat also be used for drainage purposes since too much water may cause the roots to rot and die resulting to decreased amount of roots, root growth and yield.

When to irrigate?

The need for irrigation can be accessed through soil and plant inspection through theses is not accurate methods.

Soil inspection

Examining only the soil surface is not an accurate method to assess soil moisture. To know what is happening below the surface, digging is necessary. Only then, you can really assess whether irrigation is needed.

Plant inspection

Inspecting the plants for symptoms of water stressed (leaf folding and wilting) is not recommended since by the time the plant begins to show symptoms of water stress, damage has already been done and not even immediate irrigation can undo the damage.

Irrigating on a fixed-time basis

Applying irrigation according to a fixed schedule (e.g. twice a week) is a simple method but not necessarily the best as it may easily lead to over-or under-watering

For tissue-cultured plants, irrigation must be done lightly (5 to 10 mm) and regularly (every 2 days) for the first couple of weeks until the root system becomes better established. If tissue tissue-cultured plants are not optimally managed initially, their ultimate yield potential and advantage over suckers, corms or bits will not be fully realized.

Fertilization

Banana plants need some elements essential to plant growth such as Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), and Sulfur (S). in order to correct deficiencies in these elements, there is a need to fertilize.

Fertilizer needs vary from one area to another depending on specific conditions. Soil and leaf analysis data will provide sound basis for good management decisions on fertilizer application. For small-scale farmers who do not have access to laboratories performing soil and leaf analysis, looking at deficiencies/excess symptoms in plants may be an alternative, but with inspecting plants for symptoms of water stress, damage has already been done by the time you observe the symptoms.

Soil Nutrient Analysis

· Collect soil samples at least 50 cm away from the base of the plant.

· Get one sample from the soil surface down to 20 cm and another separate sample from 20 to 40 cm.

· Take at least 10 double samples to represent one soil class or group. The groups can be distinguished by soil texture, color, slope or any other soil differentiating properties.

· The soil analysis laboratory will give you the right recommendations for fertilization.

Deficiency/Excess Symptoms

Looking at deficiency/excess symptoms in the plants should be your last option because yield and fruit quality will already be affected by the time deficiency/excess symptoms are visible in the field.

Main symptoms of mineral deficiency in bananas

Main symptoms and effects of mineral excess in bananas

Fertilizer Application for Banana

· A balanced use of both organic and inorganic fertilizers will give you the best guarantee for sustainable crop and soil management.

· Apply fertilizer in a ring 30 to 60 cm from stem or spread evenly.

· On slopes, fertilizer must be dug lightly into the soil surface on the uphill side of plant.

· Always make sure that the soil is adequately moist during fertilization.

· Irrigate the field through sprinkler irrigation after fertilization.

Recommended fertilization Program for Banana

· Apply 0.25 kg urea + 0.25 kg muriate of potash per mat every 3 months

· Nitrogen fertilizer may be applied after heavy leaching rain in the form of 90 g urea or 125 g ammonium nitrate

· Apply 4 treatments at 6-week intervals of 0.7 kg of mixture N:P:K 10:16:16 per mat
(equivalent to 0.25 kg N, 0.04 kg P,and 0.41 kg K)

· If pH is below 5.0, lime should be spread at 2.5 t/ha (250 g/ )

· If soil is low in magnesium, dolomite should be used at 2.5 t/ha (250 g/ )

· For quick response to magnesium deficiency, a combined foliar application of 0.5% Zinc sulfate (ZnSO4), 0.2% ferrus sulfate (FeSO4), 0.2% copper sulfate (CuSO4) and 0.1% ( ) must be applied.

Mulching

Mulching is a long established horticultural practice that is very beneficial for bananas. It is one of the best things a farmer can do for his plants. The benefits of mulching include:

· Conserves moisture

· Suppresses weed growth

· Regulates plant microclimate

· Maintains soil temperature

· Adds organic matter and nutrients to the soil

· Improves physical and biochemical soil properties

· Reduces erosion on slopes

Two types of mulches:

· Organic mulch

These include paddy straw, compost, sawdust, sugarcane trash, dried banana leaves and shealths, cut grasses, wood chips, pine needles, hardwood and softwood bark, cocoa hulls, leaves, compost mixes and a variety of other products usually derived from plants.

· Inorganic mulch

These include plastic, various types of stone, lava rock, pulverized rubber, geotextile fabrics and other non-plant materials.

Guide to Proper Mulching

· Spread mulches on fleshly cultivated, weed-free soil before plants are large enough to interfere.

· The recommended mulching depth for well-drained sites is 5 to 10 cm. If there are drainage problems, a thinner layer should be used. Avoid excess mulching (10 to 15 cm) as this leads to excess moisture in the root zone which can stress the plant and cause root rot.

· Avoid placing mulch against tree trunks since this can stress stem tissues and may lead to insect and disease problems or create habitat for rodents.

· Place mulch out to the tree’s drip line or beyond.

· Add more mulch during the season if you are working with organic materials.

· Some mulches can affect spoil pH and its continued use can lead to micro nutrient deficiencies or toxicities.

· If organic mulch is used, it should be well aerated and preferably composted.

Desuckering

A banana plant may produce around five to ten suckers, however, it is recommended to allow only one or two suckers to develop to prevent competition for soil nutrients. This technique is called desuckering or selecting the most vigorous sucker in the best location with respect to adjacent mats and eliminating the undesirable suckers.

How to Select Suckers

Consider the following factors in selecting suckers:

· Sword suckers must be selected.

· Select suckers at a given time and a common height to maintain uniformity in the plantation.

· Select suckers along the row or on the uphill side.

Removing Undesirable Suckers


· Cut off sucker with a knife at the ground level or just below, gouge out centre and pour in ½ teaspoon kerosene to prevent regrowth; or

· Dig up sucker and cut it off from its point of attachment to mother plant.

Sanitation/Leaf Pruning/Thrashing

These should be done to prevent pests and diseases, reduce shading and encourage faster sucker development:

· Remove old and diseased leaves and other debris.

· Cut leaves that hang down around and pseudo stem and place them along the middle of plant rows.

Plant and Bunch Support

The stem of the banana plant contains no wooden tissue, thus, the plants tend to break, bend or to topple over usually when carrying a heavy bunch.thus, the need for support.

Propping

There are two kinds of props: the single and double props. However, it is recommended to use to double props since the use of a single prop may lead to the splitting of the pseudo stem where it is inserted.

In double props, two wooden or bamboo poles are joined near the top by wire. The elongated “x” that is formed in this way is placed under the stalk of the bunch.

Guying

Synthetic twine (polypropylene) is tied between two plants leaning in opposite directions, from the top of one plant to the base of another or from one plant to two adjacent plants. This is more economical than wooden props and often used in a double-row planting system.

Bunch Covering/Bagging

This practice has two functions:

· To protect fruit from pest damage and injuries

· To hasten fruit filling and maturity

Guide in Bunch Covering/Bagging


· Cover the bunch soon after emergence and when the fingers are curved upwards.

· Attach the bags at the top of the bunch and leave the bottom open like a sleeve.

· Perforate the bags (2 cm holes) to aerate the fruits and to regulate relative humidity and temperature inside the bags.

· In bagging, use a 20 to 50 m plastic film, usually blue in color, often with a silver sided strip to reflect sunlight and prevent sunburn: alternatively, a sheath of newspaper may be used.

Intercropping

Advantages of Intercropping

· Weed growth control

· Increases soil fertility

· Reduces soil erosion

· Augmentation of income

· Shade crop

All kinds of crops can be mixed with bananas:

· Legumes (e.g. cowpea, soybean, beans and chili)

· Tuber crops (e.g. cassava, yam and beetroot)

· Spices (e.g. turmeric)

· Cotton and many more

Keep in mind that some crops are hosts to pests and diseases of banana and therefore not recommended to be intercropped with banana. These are:

· squash · tomato

· bean · abaca

· taro · bandera espanola

· gabi · cucumber

· melons · pepper

· watermelons · ginger

These are alternative hosts for virus diseases or for the aphids that can transmit the virus diseases.