Tissue Cultured?Banana Clones
Banana is one of the most important fruits of India and also of many other countries worldwide, which is available throughout the year. It occupies around 20% of the total plantation area in India and can be a major source of foreign exchange earner. Tissue culture means cloning and micro-propagation of tissues of the selected Elite plants and daughter suckers. The process consists of five important steps: Initiation, Multiplication, Shooting & rooting, Primary Hardening in green houses and Secondary Hardening in shade houses. Strict adherence to aseptic standards and micro-climatic conditions and care during the hardening process alone can ensure success.
Process of Plantation
The land is initially prepared by plowing and after that pits of 1? x 1? x 1? are made at a distance of 4? the pits are then filled with a mixture of compost, fungicide, micro and macronutrients. The baby tissue cultured banana plant are then taken out of the polythene and placed in the pits at sunset.
Watering
The plants should be immediately watered after plantation to ensure there is enough moisture in the soil. The soil should not be water logged. To save water us the drip mechanism to water the plant. Do not let the weeds out grow in the farm to protect the plants.
Harvesting
It takes normally takes 10 to 11 months for the plant to bear flowers and 2 to 3 months after that for the fruits to grow. In normal conditions the whole process of plantation till harvesting is around 12 to 14 months.
Use of Fertilizers
As per usual practice 4 to 5 kg of compost 250 Gms Neem cake should be mixed and the pits should be filled before plantation, after that 62 gms of urea Per Plant should be used in interval of 30 75,125,165,210,255 and 300 days along with 125 Gms of Super Phosphate Per Plant at the interval of 30,75,125 and 165 days.105 Gms of Purate of potash per plant should be also used at intervals of 30,165,255 and 300 days. 25 Gms of Zink Sulphate and Magnesium Sulphate per plant should be also used after 75 days of plantation to get better results.
Financial Benefit
Due to short harvesting time the cost of labour and water is less when compared to other fruits. One can plant 3673 Nos of?? grandane species tissue cultured baby banana plants per hectare at at distance of 1.65 x 1.65 Mts. The plants grow to the height of 2.3 to 2.5 Mts and the Dia of the mature banana tree is 60 to 62 Cms. One can easily earn around Rs. 4 to 5 Lacs per hectare by planting tissue cultured banana tree.
Disclaimer: The above financial figures are based on the research and claims of several botanical and tissue cultured research institutes which are government approved. India Plantation does not take any guarantee of the claims made above.