Abstract

A field experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with 10 treatments and 3 replications consisting of recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) and RDF was combined with organic manures and biofertilizers [Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae (VAM), azotobacter, and Phosphate solubilising bacterial (PSB)] at different combinations to know their effect on growth and yield of banana. The vegetative growth parameters which are, plant height, plant girth, number of leaves per plant, leaf area and crop duration were influenced significantly due to different treatments. The maximum plant height (190.84 cm) and plant girth (81.34 cm) were recorded in treatment 50% RDF + FYM + Azotobacter (50 g/plant) + PSB (50 g/plant) + VAM Glomus fasciculatum (250 g/plant) while the maximum leaves (32.30) per plant and leaf area (17.93 m²) were recorded in Treatment T₃. The minimum number of days (211.03) for shooting after planting and number of days for harvesting after shooting (117.46) were recorded with 50% RDF + FYM +Azotobacter (50 g/plant) + PSB (50 g/plant) + VAM G. fasciculatum (250 g/plant). Similarly, the yield parameters that is, bunch weight (19.31 kg) and per hectare (85.80 t/ha) were recorded in Treatment T₃. The application of 50% RDF + FYM +Azotobacter (50 g/plant) + PSB (50 g/plant) + VAM G. fasciculatum (250 g/plant) was found beneficial for growth and yield of banana cv. Ardhapuri.

Key words: Banana, organic manures, shooting, biofertilizers.