Banana economics and contribution of production technologies

Field experiment was conducted at Banana Research Station, Jalgaon, Maharashtra during 2014-2017 with the objective to identify efficient combination of inputs for improving growth and yield of banana under precision farming. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design (RBD) comprising five treatment combinations and four replications. The treatment T₆ [Drip irrigation-80% ETc throughout the growth period; fertigation-75% of worked out NPK based on STCR equation (120 tons/ha target) developed by MPKV, Rahuri, Maharashtra; micronutrient foliar spray (2% NRCB micronutrient mixture at 2, 3 and 4 MAP, 0.5% spray of EDTA-Zn and Fe each at 2 and 4 MAP; bunch spray of SOP (2%) (I spray after male bud removal and II spray at 30 days after I spray); polyethylene mulching (30 micron)] was found superior for higher production and higher net income of banana followed by the treatment T₅ [Drip irrigation-80% ETc throughout the growth period; fertigation-75% of worked out NPK based on STCR equation (120 tons/ha target) developed by NRCB, Trichy, Tamil Nadu; micronutrient foliar spray (2% NRCB micronutrient mixture at 2, 3 and 4 MAP, 0.5% spray of EDTA-Zn and Fe each at 2 and 4 MAP; bunch spray of SOP (2%) (I spray after male bud removal and II spray at 30 days after I spray); polyethylene mulching (30 micron)].