Abstract

Field experiment was carried out at AICRP- Water Management block, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai during 2010 - 2011. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications. The treatments consisted of T₁-Surface irrigation with soil application of recommended dose of fertilizers, T₂- Subsurface drip fertigation of 100% RDF (P as basal, N and K through drip as urea and white potash), T₃- Subsurface drip fertigation of 100% RDF as WSF (WSF - Urea, 13: 40: 13, KNO₃), T₄- Subsurface drip fertigation of 100% RDF (50% P and K as basal, remaining N, P and K as WSF), T₅- Subsurface drip fertigation of 75% RDF (P as basal, N and K through drip as urea and white potash) + LBF, T_6- Subsurface drip fertigation of 75% RDF as WSF (WSF – Urea, 13: 40: 13, KNO₃) + LBF, T₇- Subsurface drip fertigation of 75 per cent RDF (50% P and K as basal, remaining N, P and K as WSF) + LBF, T₈- Subsurface drip fertigation of 100% RDF (P as basal, N and K through drip as urea and white potash)+LBF, T₉- Subsurface drip fertigation of 100% RDF as WSF (WSF - Urea, 13: 40: 13, KNO₃)+ LBF, T₁₀- Subsurface drip fertigation of 100% RDF (50% P and K as basal, remaining N, P and K as WSF)+LBF and T₁₁-Subsurface drip irrigation with LBF alone (no inorganic). Banana cv. Rasthali was used as test crop. Subsurface drip irrigation was scheduled at 100% PE once in three days and fertigation was given once in six days starting from 15 days after planting to 300 days after planting. For surface method, irrigation was scheduled at 5.0 cm depth with IW / CPE ratio of 0.8. Estimates of total water use, soil available nutrients, nutrient mobility in soil and economic returns were also recorded. Banana leaf samples should normally be taken either just before or following floral emergence and when all female hands are visible. However, the age of the tissue to be sampled depends on the nutrients being diagnosed. In most banana producing countries, the laminar structure of third leaf is sampled for tissue analysis. However samples of the central vein of third leaf and the petiole of seventh leaf are also used. The laminar structure of third leaf is sampled by removing a strip of tissue 10 cm wide, on both side of the central vein and discarding everything but the tissue that extends from the centrals vein to the centre of the lamina.

Key words: Banana, leaf analysis, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium.