Studies on Nutrient Concentration in Leaf Tissue and Fruit Yield with Varying Planting Distance and Nutritional Levels in Robusta Banana

The effect of two planting distance and three graded levels each of nitrogen, phosphate and potash on nutrient concentration in leaf tissue and the fruit yield of Robusta banana was studied under field conditions. With increase in the level of nitrogen application, there was increase of quadratic nature in the nitrogen content of leaf tissue. Under the existing price situation the optimum level was found to be 206.1 gN per plant resulting in 3.515 per cent of N in dry matter of leaf tissue and 44.43 te/ha of fruit yield. Phosphate and potash levels as well as planting distance did not influence the nitrogen and phosphorus content of leaf tissue significantly. Phosphorus concentration of leaf tissue was significantly affected due to nitrogen levels after second dose of fertilizer application, but at shooting stage this effect was not apparent. There was significant influence of interaction of phosphate levels and spacing and potash levels and spacing on phosphorus content of the leaf tissue. The nature of yield response due to phosphate application was linear. Potash levels did not influence the fruit yield significantly. Potassium content of leaf tissue was affected by potash levels and planting distance but not by nitrogen and phosphate levels. Closer planting gave higher fruit yield (47.543 te/ha) than the yield (37.867 te/ha) of wider spacing.