Effect of foliar application of various combinations of NPK fertilizers on Banana suckers

Abstract EN

The effect of foliar application of four different combinations of NPK fertilizers, namely, 19-19-19, 12-12-36, 15-5-30 and 19-6-20 on growth and nutrient element contents of leaves of banana suckers grown under nursery condition was studied.

There suckers were sprayed five times at monthly intervals at a concentration of 20 g/l.

Application of all fertilizers resulted in greater pseudostem height, number of leaves, leaf area, relative growth rate and fresh and dry weights of different plant parts as compared to the control.

The greatest values of all these parameters were associated, with 19-19-19 and 19-6-20 fertilizers.

The contents of nutrient elements in the leaves tended to vary depending on the treatment.

Significantly greater values of leaf- N, P, K, Mg, Zn and Cu contents were found in banana suckers sprayed with various NPK fertilizer materials as compared to the control.

Foliar application of 19-19-19 resulted in significantly greater leaf-Ca and Zn contents than the other treatments.

Significantly, greater leaf-Fe content was detected in 12-12-36 sprayed banana suckers than the other treatments.