Everything you need to learn about cultivating banana organically. Learn about:- 1. Introduction to Banana 2. Climate and Soil Required for Banana Cultivation 3. Propagation 4. Intercropping 5. Irrigation 6. Organic Nutrient Management 7. Harvesting and Yield 8. Organic Insect Pest and Disease Management.
Contents:
- Introduction to Banana
- Climate and Soil Required for Banana Cultivation
- Propagation of Banana
- Intercropping of Banana
- Irrigation of Banana
- Organic Nutrient Management of Banana
- Harvesting and Yield of Banana
- Organic Insect Pest and Disease Management of Banana
1. Introduction to Banana:
Banana is one of the most important fruit crops grown in India. In respect of area it ranks second and production it ranks first in the country. In India banana is grown over an area of 7, 76,000 ha (2012-13) with total production of about 2.65 million tons (NHB, 2012-13). The main banana producing states are Tamil Nadu (19.37%), Gujarat (17.06%), Maharashtra (13.58%), Andhra Pradesh (12.23%), Karnataka (9.54%), Bihar (6.42%) and Madhya Pradesh (6.41%).
Under organic management system, banana crop is best cultivated under mixed cropping programme. Small and marginal fanners in south India grow banana as a shade crop in nurseries, coffee plantations and along with cassava as an intercrop. In other parts of India, banana is also cultivated as main crop and various vegetables and legume crops as intercrops.
Cultivating banana, as sole crop under organic management may not be feasible unless farmers have ensured supply of ample farm made organic inputs for feeding the banana crop and insect pests and diseases are contained through crop diversity.
2. Climate and Soil Required for Banana Cultivation:
Banana is essentially a tropical plant requiring warm and humid climate. However, it can be grown from sea level to high altitude of up to 1200 meters. A temperature range of 25-35°C is most suitable for cultivation. However, it can be cultivated in a temperature range of 10°C and 40°C with high humidity, but growth is retarded at temperatures less than 20°C and more than 35°C. It requires on an average, 1700 mm rainfall distributed throughout the year for its satisfactory growth.
Fertility of soil is very important for successful cultivation, as banana is a heavy feeder. The soil suitable for banana should be 0.5 to 1m in depth, well drained, fertile, moisture retentive and containing plenty of organic matter. The range of pH should be 6.5-7.5. Alluvial and volcanic soils are the best for banana cultivation.
3. Propagation of Banana:
Commercial banana is seedless and propagated exclusively by vegetative means. Banana is mostly propagated through suckers. Now a days banana plants are also propagated through tissue culture. Varieties like Grand Naine and Shrimanti are commonly multiplied using tissue culture technique. Normally disease free plantlets with 3-4 leaves are supplied in pots for raising in secondary nursery.
Propagation through Suckers:
Propagation through field suckers is most common. There are mainly two types of suckers, i.e. sword suckers and water suckers. Sword suckers have a well-developed base with narrow sword shaped leaf blades and water suckers are having broad leaves.
Only sword suckers should be used for propagation since these are most vigorous, grow faster and come to bearing early. Suckers weighing around 1000-1500 gm, 2-3 feet high and of 2-4 months age are generally used. For getting good quality suckers, it is very important that suckers are collected from disease free plantation.
Tissue Culture:
Tissue culture as a method of mass multiplication of banana and plantains is becoming more popular among growers. The advantages of tissue culture, in addition to faster rate of multiplication and clean or disease free planting material are uniformity in flowering, early flowering and higher yield.
Tissue culture plants are produced in a closed, sterile environment and shoot tips are grown in a nutrient rich artificial medium under controlled conditions. When removed from the controlled environment, the plant needs to adjust with the outside environment for which it has to pass through two stages of hardening including primary hardening under controlled environment green houses and secondary hardening in poly bags under green house or shade nets. Avoid somaclonal variations. Best method to minimize somaclonal variations is restricting subcultures and periodical inspection at primary and secondary hardening and regular roguing of off types.
Some planting techniques are:
i. Field Preparation and Pit Digging:
It is recommended to grow green manure crop like “Dhaincha” and incorporate in the soil at a tender stage in the field, before bananas are planted. It is very important to improve the soil fertility and also soil texture for better drainage.
As soon as the green manure crop is fully decomposed, land should be deeply ploughed, harrowed and levelled. Pits of the size 0.5 m x 0.5 m x 0.5 m should be dug at the planned distances and geometry to be followed. Solarize the pits with white polythene (150-200 gauze) after sprinkling slight water into the pit. Even otherwise pits need to be dug in summer months and are required to be exposed to sun.
ii. Planting Distance and Density:
In organic production system, management of crop diversity with low to medium planting density is key to success. A pure crop of banana under high density planting is not feasible due to high nutrient requirement and associated problems of pests and diseases, which are difficult to manage organically in the absence of plant diversity. Therefore, organic banana cultivation is recommended under multi-cropping system, where banana is the main crop and other crops are planted as intercrops, trap crops or relay crops.
Under multi-cropping model bananas are planted in rectangular or square system with 1.8 to 2 meter spacing between plant to plant and 2.0 to 3.5 meter spacing between rows with 1400 to 2700 plants per hectare depending upon the variety being planted. This will not only ensure better circulation of air and better availability of light but will also provide adequate space and light for intercrops.
iii. Planting Time:
Ideal planting time in many states is usually during monsoon time i.e. June- July months (Mrig Baugh) but can be carried out up to September-October months (Kande Baugh). Best time of planting in all states is June-July, as suckers planted during Sept-Oct months in northern states get affected by low temperatures during December-January months.
Methods of Planting:
i. Pit Method:
Pits of 0.5 m x 0.5 m x 0.5 m are dug for planting the rhizomes. However this method is very laborious and expensive. The only advantage with this method is that no earthing up is required as planting is done at the required depth. This practice is not very popular at present.
ii. Furrow Method:
This is a very common method in which furrows of 20-25 cm depth are opened by a tractor or ridger at the planned distances and rhizomes are planted in the furrows. In this method earthing up needs to be frequently done, to cover the exposed rhizomes.
iii. Planting of Field Raised Suckers:
Suckers should be sword type weighing around 1000- 1500 gm. It must be ensured that these suckers are pared and treated with cow dung slurry containing Beauveria bassiana @ 20 gm/kg slurry and then dried in shade. While planting in pits add Pseudomonas fluorescens and Trichoderma viride @ 40-50 gm per pit along with well decomposed FYM or compost.
iv. Planting and After Care of Tissue Culture Plants:
The pits are filled with equal quantities of top soil, well decomposed FYM and sand in 1:1:1 proportion. Also add Pseudomonas Fluorescens/Trichoderma viride @ 40-50 gm/pit. Polybag may be slit and removed and the plant be inserted into the centre of the filled pit without disturbing the roots. The soil level must be maintained at the same level as in the polybag. Following steps need to be taken at the time of planting and after planting.
Cut the bottom part of polythene bag and strip off before planting. Place the bag in to the planting hole, keeping partially covered with the soil to bring stability to the plant and its root soil clump in the bag. Remove the polythene bag by gently pulling it out over the leaves. Add more soil and gently press around the plant. Take care of plants against infestation of bacterial rot caused by Erwinia sp.
In both types of planting material apply organic nutrients as suggested in nutrient management at planting time.
4. Intercropping between Bananas:
Intercropping between bananas is an important strategy under organic banana cultivation and to facilitate intercrops the spacing between two rows or two paired rows is kept at 2.0-3.5 meters. In south India and hilly areas, banana is generally grown as intercrop with arecanut, coconut and cassava.
Cultivation of banana as main crop and elephant foot yam/ cassava or Colocasia as an intercrop has been found to be most profitable. Banana can also be grown as shade crop in nurseries to provide protection for young plants of various orchard species.
In central Indian plains, cultivation of banana as main crop and okra (bhindi) as an intercrop followed by cluster bean and lab-lab has also been found highly profitable and at par with sole banana plantations under conventional management.
Another intercrop combination found highly profitable with banana is soybean/cowpea followed by onion on raised beds between two banana rows or between two paired rows.
Interculture of ginger, turmeric or Colocasia (arbi) along with the banana has also been found to be very good with profitable economic returns. Some other crops which can be taken up as intercrops with banana during first 3-5 months are – sunhemp, radish, French bean, carrot, beet root, brinjal, chilies, leafy vegetables such as spinach and Trigonella (methi), cabbage and cauliflower.
Cucurbitaceaous vegetables such as cucumber, long gourd, ridge gourd, round gourd, sponge gourd etc. need to be avoided not only from the fields of banana but also from the close vicinity as they can increase the risk of virus diseases. Cucurbits also serve as alternate host of virus vectors, therefore, keep all cucurbits away from banana plantations.
The planting of intercrops follows planting of banana. Care must be taken that intercrops are planted at least 0.60 meter away from the banana suckers. In cases where row-to-row distance is 2.0 meters then intercrops can be grown in 0.75-1.0 meter strip and where distance is 3.5 meters the intercrops can be grown in 1.50 to 2.0 meter strips. Nutrient and pest management protocols of intercrops should be taken care of in appropriate manner to avoid their growth at the cost of banana plants.
Besides the intercrops some insectary plants such as marigold, hibiscus, tuberose etc. may also be interplanted in between and on the borders all around the banana field.
5. Irrigation Required for Banana Plant:
Banana being a succulent, evergreen and shallow rooted crop requires large quantity of water for high productivity. Water requirement of banana has been worked out to be 1,800 – 2,000 mm per annum. In winter, irrigation is provided at an interval of 7-8 days while in summer it should be given at an interval of 4- 5 days. In all, about 70-75 irrigations are provided to the crop.
Drip Irrigation:
Application of irrigation through drip system helps to maintain the appropriate proportion of soil air and soil water, which results in early and vigorous growth of bunches. Raw bunch matures earlier by 30-45 days and yield is increased by 30- 50 % and 58-60% of water is saved on irrigation.
Thus the system has efficient utilization of nutrients and there is higher water use efficiency. Drip irrigation may be given @ 15 lit/plant/day from planting to 4th month, 20 lit/plant/day from 5th month till shooting stage and 25 lit/plant/day from shooting till 15 days prior to harvest. However, this will vary with the location and evapo-transpiration rate.
6. Organic Nutrient Management of Banana:
Each banana plant at optimum yield levels removes about 200-250 gm of N, 25-40 gm of phosphorus and 300 gm of potassium, out of which nearly 80% of N and 90% of phosphorus can be returned back to the field in the form of leaves, flowers and thinned fruits, which can be recycled back through composting and/or mulching.
While in case of potash nearly 40-45% is permanently lost in the form of harvested fruits. In case of calcium and magnesium, although removal is almost 40 gm and 20gm respectively but over 95% of Ca and Mg are recycled back to the field through fallen leaves, flowers, pseudostems etc. This removal pattern is to be kept in mind while calculating the need for nutrient management from external sources.
Recycling of biomass and mulching is an important nutrient management strategy in organic farming. Efforts must be made that biomass of all intercrops is recycled back in the field as mulch. Care should be taken to mulch the space between rows at least 30-50 cm away from the clumps. Mulching from intercrops is needed only in the first 3-5 months after that banana itself shall be providing adequate mulching material in the form of leaves and pseudostem skins. Drench the mulch layer with Jivamrit @ 200 litre/acre.
As organic farming system relies more on feeding the soil rather than feeding the plant, in nutrient management major stress is laid on recycling of biomass, using open spaces for leguminous cover crops for green manuring, using liquid manure such as Jivamrit and biofertilizers for hastening microbial process and compensating the shortfall with the use of FYM/ compost, vermicompost, concentrated manures and wood ash (or sulphate of potash in case ash is not available). To ensure high use efficiency of applied manures, neem cake is also applied mixed with organic fertilizers.
Calculating the Nutrient Needs from External Sources:
Recommendations available for conventional management system can be taken up as the basic yardstick for calculation of crop nutrient needs. Under conventional management system usually a fertilizer dose comprising of 200- 250 gm nitrogen, 40-50 gm phosphorus as P2O5 and 250-300 gm of potash as K2O is applied per plant per crop.
For ensuring high yields of appropriate quality full dose of P, 150 gm of nitrogen and 100 gm of potash is applied during vegetative phase in split doses and remaining 50 gm of nitrogen and 150 gm of potash is applied in reproductive phase in splits.
Keeping all these in mind and considering the quantity of biomass and nutrients being recycled the short fall is calculated and applied as combination of various organic inputs. Normally if entire intercrop biomass and later banana biomass is recycled, approximately 28-30 kg of nutrient rich organic manure mixture is to be provided per plant as soil application in 4-5 split doses. Foliar feeding in the form of foliar sprays is also essential at frequent intervals starting from 45 days of planting till 165-250 days of planting.
Preparing Organic Manure Mix:
For preparation of every 100 kg of nutrient rich organic manure mixture, mix following organic nutrient materials in quantities mentioned against each (Table 10).
Mix all ingredients thoroughly using about 5-10 lit of water. Keep aside for 24-48 hrs for incubation. Use the mixture within 4-5 days of preparation. If available 100 gm of CPP can also be mixed with the above mixture for better results.
In case if wood ash is not available then use sulphate of potash. 150 gm sulphate of potash equals 1 kg wood ash.
Weed Control:
Regular weeding is important during the first four months. Spading is commonly used and normally four spadings a year are effective in controlling weeds. Integrated weed management by including cover crops, intercropping and hand weeding wherever necessary can contribute to increased production. Double cropping of cowpea is effective in suppressing the weed growth.
De-Suckering:
During the life cycle, banana produces number of suckers from the underground stem. If all these suckers are allowed to grow, they grow at the expense of the growth of main plant and hence the growth of suckers should be discouraged.
Removal of unwanted suckers is one of the most critical operations in banana cultivation and is known as de-suckering. Such suckers are removed by cutting them off at ground level and pouring 3-4 ml kerosene oil in the central core to kill the growing point of pseudostem without detaching the sucker from the parent plant. This process is continued every 45-50 days till flowering. Only at flowering time, one sucker other than mother plant is retained.
Earthing Up:
In case of furrow planting earthing up should be done during rainy season to avoid water logging. Earthing up of banana plants where furrow planting has been adopted assumes special significance without which banana plants are likely to be affected adversely. In normal course, banana plants planted by other methods also need to be earthed up.
Leaf Removal:
Pruning of surplus leaves helps to reduce the disease from spreading through old leaves. Leaf pruning can change light and temperature factors of microclimate. Pruning of leaves before bunch initiation delays flowering and harvesting cycle. For maximum yields a minimum of 12 leaves per plant are to be retained.
Bunch Management:
Proper bunch management is most important not only for optimum bunch weight but also for quality hands and fingers.
For this many practices need to be adopted which are detailed below:
i. Bunch Covering:
Bunch covers are mostly used to protect bunches from insects, fungal attack, bruises, blemishes, ants and from adverse weather conditions. Bunch covers or sleeves are put on the bunches at the earliest, even may be before completion of female phase, but in case of delay it must be put after completion of female phase for their effectiveness.
Transparent, white and perforated polythene sleeves with 2 to 4% ventilation (2% for cool season and 4% for summer season) are appropriate for covering bunches. Covering of bunches may be combined with neem cake application. The sleeve is tied to the peduncle and is kept open at the other end. Usually 100 gauze thick, 100 cm wide and 125 cm long covers are used.
Advantages of putting sleeves on bunches are distinct. Covers not only reduce the maturity days of bunch but also reduce blemishes on fruits. Bunch covers also provide better environment for protecting against low temperature and creating higher humidity during summers. This ultimately leads to better finger filling and bunch development.
ii. Denavelling or Removal of Male Flower Bud:
Removal of male flower bud after completion of female phase is done within 2-4 days of appearance of last hand of the bunch. Once the process of fruit setting is over, the inflorescence rachis should be cut beyond the last hand otherwise it grows at the cost of fruit development. This helps in better development of bunch and early maturity of the bunch. This is usually done by hand. Care needs to be taken that exuding sap does not stain the fruits in the bunch. The movement of food materials to unwanted parts is stopped after removal of male bud.
iii. Removal of Withered Flower Parts:
Deflowering is to be done within 2-3 weeks of completion of female phase when withered styles and perianth are brushed aside by hand. This is done when bunch fingers are horizontal and when abscission layers have formed at the base of these flowers. Deflowering can be done for a portion of a bunch in second week and rest in the third week. If deflowering is not done at this stage then infestation of cigar end rot and anthracnose can increase, as infestation starts from withered styles and perianth.
a. Removal of Last Hand in the Bunch:
For better quality and for uniformity in finger size and maturity, removal of last hand is very important. Last 1-2 hands are removed within 7-10 days of completion of female phase and after removal of male flower bud. Care needs to be taken that while removing last hands, fruits of retained hands are not stained with the exuding latex. Removal of hands needs to be done only when number of hands exceeds 7 to 8.
Strong winds cause heavy damage to tall and semi tall varieties especially those which bear heavy bunches. Most cultivars in Cavendish group require propping. Due to heavy weight of bunch the plant goes out of balance and the bearing plant may lodge and production and quality can be adversely affected. Therefore, they should be propped with the help of two bamboos or Casuarina poles forming a triangle by placing them against the stems on leaning side. This also helps in uniform development of bunch.
7. Harvesting and Yield of Banana:
The planted crop gets ready for harvest within 12-15 months of planting. The dwarf varieties are ready for harvesting within 11 to 14 months after planting while the tall varieties take about 14 to 16 months. The main harvesting season of banana is from September to April.
Harvested bunch should generally be collected in well-padded tray or basket and brought to collection site. Bunches should be kept out of light after harvest, since this hastens ripening and softening. For local consumption, hands are often left on stalks and sold to retailers. The yield of banana depends on number of factors such as variety, plant density, management practices etc.
After harvest of bunch, only leaves are to be cut and plant system is retained for ratoon crop development. This improves the food supply and about 15% can be saved on irrigation. Generally farmers do not take ratoon crops, however, experiments have indicated that one ratoon crop is possible. First ratoon crop would be ready by 8-10 months from the harvesting of the main crop.
Harvesting is most important operation for banana fruit, as entire post-harvest quality depends upon proper harvesting at appropriate stage and health status of plantation. Before harvesting is undertaken, it is important to select a healthy banana plantation, which is less infested by diseases etc.
After selection of banana plantation next step is to select proper stage of maturity. For far off places 80-85% maturity or 85-90% maturity bunches are selected depending upon destination.
For Marketing within the Country:
If bananas are to be marketed within the country, then bunches are selected which are not fully mature. Bunches are cut with a sharp cutter and then packed in truck or van as the case may be. After receipt at the destination, the hands are cut from bunches and then these are ripened by ethylene (100 ppm) in a closed chamber at 14-19°C and 90-95% RH.
For Marketing in Foreign Countries:
If the bananas are to be marketed to Gulf countries, then slightly immature i.e. 80-85% mature bunches need to be selected. Maturity stage of the bunches can be decided by indices like, bunch age, angularity of the fingers and fullness of three quarters in cross sections of fingers and need to be taken into consideration. As the maturity advances, angularity of the fingers decreases, three quarters in cross sections of fingers are more filled. With the experience one is able to select the right stage of maturity.
Harvesting, Dehanding and Transport of Hands to Main Pack House:
For harvesting, most appropriate time is either very early in the morning or late in the evening. It must be noted that increase in pulp temperature can trigger fruit ripening during shipment itself.
Harvesting:
Bunch is cut keeping 50-60 cm stem above the hands for handling the bunch properly. Bunch is cut with a sharp knife. If the bananas are to be harvested at 80-85% maturity for sending to Gulf countries, then bunches are selected where sharp angularity of fingers has faded and three quarters in cross sections of fingers are not fully filled.
After cut has been made, another person holds the bunch on his padded shoulder and cutter ties the cut peduncle with a polythene piece to avoid staining of hands with exuding latex. The bunch is carried to a shaded place, where bunch is hanged to the hook of the tripod stand.
Dehanding:
Dehanding is done by sharp knife, which is frequently sterilized with 1-2% sodium hypochlorite solution. Dehanding is done from distal end going upwards and enough wood is left on the crown. Immediately after cutting, crowns of hands are sprayed with 2% hypochlorite solution by hand sprayer to avoid infestation of field fungi.
After this, hands are placed upside down (curved side upwards) on freshly cut banana leaves with crowns resting on midrib to drain away the latex. At this stage deformed and bruised hands can be rejected.
Field Packing:
After draining the latex for 10-15 minutes the hands are packed in plastic crates lined with 2.0 mm foam sheet at the bottom and on all sides. Foam sheets are perforated with holes of 10 mm size for draining latex and to provide cushion to avoid any bruising. While packing in crates, the hands are packed with curved side up and crowns should not touch fingers. In between the hands also foam sheets are placed to avoid bruising. Packed crates are kept in shade before transporting to main pack house.
Bananas are quickly transported to main pack house preferably in a vehicle having controlled temperature or having insulated system.
Cleaning, Sorting, Selection of Hands, Delatexing and Packing in Main Pack House:
On arrival in the main pack house, the crates having banana hands are kept in a cool room to remove field heat. Temperature of room needs to be maintained at 22-26°C. However, if the fruit cannot be processed immediately then the crates full of banana hands need to be kept at 13-14°C after pre-cooling.
Processing Operations in the Main Pack House:
In the main pack house, the processing operations like cleaning, sorting, selection of hands, delatexing of hands and packing of hands is required to be done. For all these operations facilities like receiving room, processing hall, tanks lined with tiles for washing, delatexing, cold store etc. are required.
Cleaning:
Usually hands are laden with dust and many fingers are still having withered styles attached to them. First step is to remove the withered styles/flower parts still attached to them.
After this hands are dipped in chlorine water in a tank (chlorine at 100-125 ppm) for 5-10 minutes. Chlorine concentration is required to be monitored frequently and water in the tank needs to be changed many times to avoid buildup of field fungal spores of Colletotrichum musae, Fusarium sp. and Botryodiplodia theobromae which are likely to infect freshly cut crowns of hands. Chlorine concentration in any case should not exceed concentration of 100-125 ppm otherwise it is likely to cause abrasions on banana skin.
Washing, Selection of Hands, Trimming of Crowns and Delatexing:
Eliminate chlorine from the hands by dipping in next tank (No. 2) having fresh clean water by using series of tanks at least three in number available side by side (capacity 1,000 litres). At this stage, hands not having appropriate finger size, other features like bruises etc. can be rejected. Also excess wood on the crown can be trimmed and delatexing is continued in tanks 2, 3 and 4. Hands are usually kept in each tank for 5-10 minutes.
For alum treatment, alum is added at 0.5% concentration in the water tank with the main objective to coagulate the exuding latex. Alum granules are soaked overnight in water. Always make fresh solution of alum every day. After alum treatment, hands are placed on a table or platform having perforated foam sheet to soak and drain excess solution. For quick drying pedestal fans can be used.
Grading, Labeling and Packing of Produce:
At this stage, the hands are graded so that big sized as well as small sized clusters are accommodated in cardboard box. Then hands are labelled with a brand name as the case may be.
Packing Technique to be adopted:
The main principle to be employed in packing is that curved side of hand should be on the upper side and crowns of upper hands should not touch and damage bananas underneath. After packing using polythene sheet, foam sheets and gap plates, polythene bag is tightly tied after taking out excess air from polythene bag by suction. Ventilation holes are to be properly aligned to allow free movement of air in the cardboard box. Now cardboard boxes are ready for loading and are strapped and labelled.
Pre-cooling is required to be done at 15-16°C and 90-95% RH by forced air cooling and later stored at 13-14°C.
After the cardboard boxes are loaded in the container all precautions like placing of ethylene absorbent is checked. After loading, ethylene absorbent and a recorder to record the temperature and humidity in the container is also kept to record maintenance of the cold chain conditions.
8. Organic Insect Pest and Disease Management of Banana:
Organic pest management in banana is an integrated approach combining cultural, mechanical and biological methods in first place and using botanical and organically acceptable chemicals as last resort.
First and foremost strategy in organic pest management is manipulation of cultural practices to ensure a balance in natural processes that in turn keep pests below economical threshold limit.
Some important strategies are:
1. Banana plantations must have permanent diversity plantation which includes nitrogen fixing plants like Gliricidia, Leucaena leucocephala etc., fruit plants like custard apple or ber on borders and pesticidal value plants such as Adathoda, Ipomea, Calotropis, etc. planted randomly in between border plantation and aromatic grasses such as lemon and citronella grass on internal bunds.
2. Banana plantation must also include seasonal diversity plants like legumes pulses, turmeric, ginger, elephant foot yam etc. as intercrops.
3. Planting of variety resistant/tolerant to major pests.
4. Select healthy suckers.
5. Pare the suckers and treat them with cow dung slurry containing Beauveria bassiana @ 20 gm/kg.
6. Treat the suckers with hot water treatment and or dip in solution of Trichoderma viride and Pseudomonas Fluorescens (2% solution). Alternatively suckers can also be dipped in 5% solution of garlic, clove and cinnamon extract.
7. Follow proper spacing, mulching and manuring at scheduled interval.
8. Avoid high density planting.
9. Suitable crop rotations. Taking banana after banana for more than two cycles be avoided.
10. Do not allow cultivation of cucurbit vegetables in and around banana plantations.
B. Ecological and Cultural Strategies:
1. Frequent growing of legumes as intercrops and mulching of their biomass. Growing of Crotalaria juncea has been found very useful.
2. Keep soil covered with living vegetation and or crop residue.
3. Adequate use of organic manures followed by biomass mulching and drenching of biomass with fermented dung-urine slurry (such as Jivamrit) ensures high activity of beneficial microbes that act as deterrent to harmful microorganisms and insects.
4. Ensure natural habitat and survival conditions for natural pest enemies such as pest predators, parasites and pathogens.
5. Release and protect beneficial insects such as pest predators and parasitoids.
6. Keep monitoring pest: defender ratio.
7. Install pheromone traps mainly for rhizome weevil and leaf eating caterpillar. Usually 4-5 traps/acre are used for surveillance. For effective control 10- 15 traps per acre are used. Keep on watching and clean them. If load is high then use other control measures.
8. Install yellow/blue water pan and sticky traps at a height of mid canopy @ 4-5 traps/acre for observations and 20-25 traps/acre for control. Locally available empty tins painted yellow or blue and coated with grease/vaseline/castor oil on outer surface may be used. Yellow traps are effective against aphids and blue traps against thrips.
9. Set up light traps @ 1 trap/acre 15 cm above the crop canopy for monitoring and mass trapping of insects. Light traps with exit option for natural enemies of smaller size should be installed and operate around the dusk time (6 pm to 10 pm).
10. Grow flowering plants along the orchard border by arranging small plants towards the crop and taller plants towards border. Flowering plants can also be grown on internal bunds. Important insectary plants that can be planted on border and as intercrops also include mustard, sunflower, buck wheat, alfalfa, marigold, carrot, French bean, cowpea, maize, coriander, spearmint etc. After flowering these plants can be used as green manure/mulch.
11. Apply mycorrhiza and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR).
12. Apply Trichoderma viride/harzianum and Pseudomonas fluorescens as sucker treatment and soil application
13. In case if there is problem of nematodes then also apply Paecilomyces lilacinus as soil treatment preferably along with neem cake.
C. Regular Observations to Determine Pest Load and Subsequent Control Measures:
1. Go to fields in group, select at least 10-20 plants/acre and observe them keenly
2. Observe and count pests at different places
3. Observe and count parasitoids and predators
4. Observe leaves and stems and identify any visible disease symptoms
5. Sit with the group, analyze information, samples collected and water and weather conditions and identify the problem. Keep a pictorial book/manual on important pests and diseases handy. Compare the samples with the pictures given in the book and ascertain the problem. If unable to arrive at any decision then take the help of local Horticulture Officer for identification of insect pests and diseases.