Effect of Nutrient Management and Planting Systems on Physiological and Biochemical Parameters of Banana cv. Ney Poovan under Coconut Plantation

Abstract

The field experiment was conducted at the Department of Fruit Crops, Horticultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore to study the effect of nutrient management and planting systems on physiological and biochemical parameters in banana cv. Ney Poovan under coconut plantation. The experiment was laid out in a Factorial Randomized Block Design with nine treatments and three replications. The recommended spacing of 1.8 mx 1.8 mwas adopted for planting. Suckers of banana cv. Ney Poovan collected from the disease free field was used for planting. Suckers of uniform size weighing around 1.5 kg+ 0.5 kg of banana cv. Ney Poovan were selected for planting. Recommended crop production packages for banana were followed. The recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) for banana cv. Ney Poovan is 110g: 35g: 330g NPK plant^-1 year^-1was applied as per the treatment schedule. Ten plants of uniform size were selected at random in each treatment for recording the following observations on vegetative characters at 3^rd, 5^th, 7^thmonths after planting and shooting stage. The yield and quality attributes were taken after the harvesting of bunches. The biofertilizers was applied to the plant twice, one at the time of planting and another at 60days after planting. Application of inorganic fertilizers as per the treatment schedule was applied at the time of planting, 3^rd months after planting, 5^th months after planting, 7^th months after planting and shooting stage at different split doses.The results of the present investigation revealed that integrated nutrient management and planting density was enhanced the physiological and biochemical attributes of banana by application of 100 per cent RDF along with Azospirillum@100g plant^-1, phosphobacteria @ 100 g plant^-1 and AM fungi @ 100g plant^{-1 in single row planting system. The total chlorophyll content of leaves was highest in F}₆ P₁ (2.52 & 2.54 mg 100 g^-1) in both the season of crops. Other physiological parameters viz., light interception, transpiration rate, net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and soluble protein content, nitrate reductase activity were also recorded as the highest in the same treatment.