Water management for high productivity in banana

Among various strategies of water management, micro-irrigation proved as success story in many horticultural crops, including banana. Water productivity may be increased by employing better irrigation scheduling and enhancing irrigation efficiency through efficient application methods. Micro-irrigation led horticulture, aimed with knowledge and technologies, with farmer as central point, should be viewed as one of the eco-technological approaches to attain sustained and enhanced production and productivity. Fertigation greatly improves the nutrient uptake efficiency to an extent of 30–40 per cent, prevents soil degradation, and reduces the cost of fertilizer and application. The technology is bound to maximize the synergistic interactions of improved cultivars, water and fertilizer. Since micro-irrigation greatly enhances water, fertilizer and energy use efficiency and promotes precision horticulture, the sustainability could be achieved without the burden of environmental degradation.