Assessing nutrient uptake pattern with respect to dry matter accumulation in Ney Poovan (AB) banana at critical growth stages

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to assess the nutrient uptake pattern and partitioning of nutrients in Ney Poovan banana (AB) at critical growth stages like 10-leaf stage, 20-leaf stage, shooting stage and harvesting stage. From 10-leaf stage to harvesting, the per cent dry matter (DM) accumulation decreased from 42 to 16 in underground segment and increased from 58 to 84 in above ground segment. The sample was partitioned into root, corm, pseudostem, leaf lamina, petiole, peduncle, bunch and male bud, processed and analysed for macro and micronutrients at different critical growth stages. The nutrient accumulation pattern, with respect to dry matter production was worked out. To produce 37.5 t banana ha-1, about 444 kg N, 69 kg P, 933 kg K, 2.4 kg Cu, 7.3 kg Mn, 3.4 kg Fe and 5.9 kg Zn were taken up by Ney Poovan banana. About 10 to 52% removal occurred through bunch harvest from the total nutrient uptake from the soil and remaining nutrients accumulated in the residual tissues were available for in situ recycling. The data provided opportunity for proper fertiliser scheduling to achieve optimum yield with higher nutrient use efficiency and nutrient budgeting in banana ecosystem was also done.