Evaluation of banana germplasm under sodic soil

Banana can be grown in a wide range of soils. Soil and land parameters are one of the important requirements deciding the production and productivity of the crop. Sodic soils are those which have an exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) of more than 15.The present study was conducted at Horticultural college and Research Institute for women, Trichy for Evaluation of banana germplasm under sodic soil. The experiment was laid out in Randomized block Design (RBD). The treatments comprised eleven types of germplasm or varieties i.e., Kaveri Kalki (ABB), Adukku Monthan (ABB), CO2 (AB), Kaveri Saba (ABB), Monthan (ABB), Udhayam (ABB), Poovan (AAB), Karpooravalli (ABB), Kaveri Haritha (ABB), Ney Poovan (AB), and Vayal Vazhai (ABB). Among the 11 treatments screened Udhayam (T6) recorded highest bunch weight, followed by Kaveri Saba (T4) and Karpooravalli (T8). Highest yield was recorded in the cultivars having ABB genome in them, such as Udhayam (T6), Kaveri Saba (T4) and Karpooravalli (T8). The germplasm/varieties like Udhayam, Kaveri Kalki and Karpooravalli showed maximum number of hands. The maximum number of fingers was observed in Udhayam (T6) and Karpooravalli (T8). From the above study the germplasm/varieties having the Musa balbisiana genome were found to perform well under the sodic soil conditions, when compared to the Musa acuminata species due to their physiological characteristics to survive under adverse climatic conditions.