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Influence of NPK on crop performance and leaf nutrient status of banana under
sub surface drip fertigation system

Article in African Journal of Agricultural Research · June 2015

DOI: 10.5897/AJAR2014.9029

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M. Yuva raj Peyandi Paraman Mahendran

Agricultural College and Research Institute Vazhavachanure Tiruvannamalai Tamil Nadu Agricultural University
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 Vol. 10(25), pp. 2532-2536, 18 June, 2015
DOI: 10.5897/AJAR2014.9029
Article Number: 3023D2E53519
ISSN 1991-637X
African Journal of Agricultural
Copyright ©2015 Research
Author(s) retain the copyright of this article
http://www.academicjournals.org/AJAR

Full Length Research Paper

Influence of NPK on crop performance and leaf nutrient

status of banana under sub surface drip fertigation
system
M. Yuvaraj* and P. P. Mahendran
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural College and Research Institute,
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Madurai, India.
Received 25 July, 2014; Accepted 20 May, 2015

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 T 1-Surface irrigation with soil
application of recommended dose of fertilizers, T 2- Subsurface drip fertigation of 100% RDF (P as basal,
N and K through drip as urea and white potash), T 3- 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), T 5- 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, T 8- Subsurface drip fertigation of 100% RDF (P as basal, N and K
through drip as urea and white potash)+LBF, T 9- 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 T 11-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.

INTRODUCTION

Plant analysis has been considered a very practical formulating fertilizer recommendations (Kelling et al.,
approach for diagnosing nutritional disorders and 2000). Plant analysis, in conjunction with soil testing,
 Yuvaraj and Mahendran 2533

becomes a highly useful tool not only in diagnosing the on either side of the mid rib were collected from recently matured leaf. A
nutritional status but also an aid in management composite sample was prepared for by combining the leaf stripes
obtained from 10 plants for each treatment. Decontamination of samples
decisions for improving the crop nutrition (Rashid, 2005). was done by washing them with distilled water (Chapman and Parker,
Plant analysis is the quantitative analysis of the total 1961). The samples were dried in shade and then in air oven at 60oC and
nutrient content in a plant tissue, based on the principle were ground in a Willey mill using stainless steel grinder and stored in
that the amount of a nutrient in diagnostic plant parts labeled container for the analysis of total N, P and K by following the
indicates the soil ability to supply that nutrient and is procedures. Total nitrogen analyzed by micro kjeldahl distillation method
directly related to the available nutrient status in the soil by Humphries (1956). Total Phosphorus by Vanadomolybdate colour
method of Jackson (1973) and Total Potassium by Flame photometry in
(Malavolta, 1994; Havlin et al., 2004). It is a very practical triple acid extract of Piper (1966).
and useful technique for fruit trees and long duration
crops (Rashid, 2005). Hence, it seems quite convenient
and appealing for bananas also. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Bananas are heavy feeder of nutrients (Jones, 1998)
and thus need to balanced nutrition for optimum growth Leaf nutrient concentration
and fruit production, and in turn potential yields. A
deficiency or excess of nutrients can cause substantial Effect of subsurface drip fertigation on leaf N content
damage to the plant (Memon et al., 2001). The early (until (percent)
the mid-1960s) researches on banana nutrition had
concentrated on the description of symptoms of nutrient The leaf N steadily increased from 3 MAP to shooting
imbalance and the conduct of field experiments stage and thereafter it decreased. At 3 MAP, subsurface
comparing response to rates of applied fertilizer on a drip fertigation of 100% RDF as WSF (WSF - Urea, 13:
range of soil types. During last three decades, scientists 40: 13, KNO3) + LBF (T9) recorded the highest leaf N
attempted to understand more clearly the role of nutrients content of 2.97%. This treatment was on par with
in the growth and development of bananas. Field studies subsurface drip fertigation of 100% RDF (50% P and K
of fertilizer response are still being conducted, but as basal, remaining N, P and K as WSF) +LBF (T 10) and
attempts to relate nutrient concentrations in the soil and subsurface drip fertigation of 100% RDF (P as basal, N
plant to yield have complemented this work. and K through drip as urea and white potash) + LBF (T 8).
The treatment subsurface drip irrigation with LBF alone
(No inorganic) (T11) recorded the lowest leaf N content.
MATERIALS AND METHODS At 5 MAP, subsurface drip fertigation of 100% RDF as
WSF (WSF - Urea, 13: 40: 13, KNO3) + LBF (T9) ranked
The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) best by registering higher leaf N content of 3.42%. The
with three replications. The treatments consisted of T 1-Surface lowest leaf N content was recorded in the treatment
irrigation with soil application of recommended dose of fertilizers,
T2- Subsurface drip fertigation of 100% recommended dose of
subsurface drip irrigation with LBF alone (No inorganic)
fertilizer RDF (P as basal, N and K through drip from the source of (T11).
urea and white potash), T3- Subsurface drip fertigation of 100% At shooting stage, subsurface drip fertigation of 100%
RDF by Water Soluble Fertilizer (WSF – Urea, 13: 40: 13, RDF as WSF (WSF - Urea, 13: 40: 13, KNO3) + LBF (T9)
Pottasium nitrate (KNO3), T4- Subsurface drip fertigation of 100% recorded the highest leaf N content of 3.99% which was
RDF (50% P and K as basal, remaining N, P and K through WSF),
on par with subsurface drip fertigation of 100% RDF as
T5- Subsurface drip fertigation of 75% RDF (P as basal, N and K
through drip from and white potash) + LBF, T6- Subsurface drip WSF (WSF - Urea, 13: 40: 13, KNO3) (T3). The treatment
fertigation of 75% RDF as WSF (WSF - Urea, 13: 40: 13, KNO3) + LBF subsurface drip irrigation with alone (No inorganic)
Liquid Bio Fertilizer (LBF), T7- Subsurface drip fertigation of 75 per (T11) recorded the lowest leaf N content.
cent RDF (50% P and K as basal, remaining N, P and K by WSF) + At harvesting stage, subsurface drip fertigation of 100%
LBF, T8- Subsurface drip fertigation of 100% RDF (P as basal, N RDF as WSF (WSF - Urea, 13: 40: 13, KNO3) (T3) was
and K through drip from urea and white potash) +LBF, T9-
Subsurface drip fertigation of 100% RDF as WSF (WSF - Urea, 13:
found to maintain higher leaf N content of 3.62%. This
40: 13, KNO3) + LBF, T10- Subsurface drip fertigation of 100% RDF treatment was on par with subsurface drip fertigation of
(50% P and K as basal, remaining N, P and K by WSF) + LBF and 100% RDF as WSF (WSF - Urea, 13: 40: 13, KNO3) +
T11-Subsurface drip irrigation with LBF alone (no inorganic). LBF (T9), subsurface drip fertigation of 100% RDF (50%
The leaf samples were taken from the third upper leaf from the top of P and K as basal, remaining N, P and K as WSF) +LBF
the plant at different growth stages by Mitra and Dhue (1988). Ten (T10) and subsurface drip fertigation of 100% RDF (P as
plants were selected at random and the samples of the index tissue
comprising 10 cm wide stripes of leaf blade in the centre of the leaf and
basal, N and K through drip as urea and white potash) +

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Author(s) agree that this article remain permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution
License 4.0 International License
2534 Afr. J. Agric. Res.

Table 1. Effect of subsurface drip fertigation levels on leaf N content Table 2. Effect of subsurface drip fertigation levels on leaf P content
(per cent) of banana. (per cent) of banana.

Treatment 3 MAP 5 MAP At harvest Treatment 3 MAP 5 MAP At harvest

T1 2.43 3.16 3.01 T1 0.24 0.28 0.23
T2 2.40 2.73 3.15 T2 0.26 0.28 0.25
T3 2.74 3.17 3.62 T3 0.21 0.29 0.24
T4 2.70 3.05 3.18 T4 0.29 0.31 0.23
T5 2.65 3.19 3.13 T5 0.31 0.30 0.22
T6 2.75 3.11 3.26 T6 0.27 0.28 0.23
T7 2.41 3.15 3.31 T7 0.25 0.26 0.20
T8 2.85 2.83 3.47 T8 0.28 0.29 0.22
T9 2.97 3.42 3.58 T9 0.30 0.31 0.23
T10 2.85 3.20 3.43 T10 0.28 0.30 0.24
T11 2.30 2.71 3.20 T11 0.20 0.22 0.21
SE d 0.06 0.09 0.13 SE d 0.01 0.01 NS
CD(P=0.05) 0.14 0.20 0.27 CD(P=0.05) 0.02 0.02
MAP, Months after planting. MAP, Months after planting.

LBF (T8). The lowest leaf N content was record in surface subsurface drip fertigation of 100% RDF (50% P and K as
irrigation with soil application of RDF (T 1) (Table 1). basal, remaining N, P and K as WSF) + LBF (T10). The
lowest leaf P content was recorded in the treatment
subsurface drip irrigation with LBF alone (No inorganic)
Effect of subsurface drip fertigation on leaf P content (T11).
(percent) The leaf P content at harvesting stage was not
significantly by fertigation treatments (Table 2).
At 3 MAP, higher P content (0.31%) was observed under
subsurface drip fertigation of 75% RDF + LBF (P as
basal, N and K through drip as urea and white potash) Effect of subsurface drip fertigation on leaf K content
(T5) which was on par with subsurface drip fertigation of (percent)
100% RDF as WSF (WSF - Urea, 13: 40: 13, KNO3) +
LBF (T9) and subsurface drip fertigation of 100% RDF At 3 MAP, the highest leaf K content (3.46%) was
(50% P and K as basal, remaining N, P and K as WSF) recorded in subsurface drip fertigation of 100% RDF as
(T4). WSF (WSF - Urea, 13: 40: 13, KNO3) + LBF (T9) and it
The lowest leaf P content was recorded in the had similar effect with subsurface drip fertigation of 100%
treatment subsurface drip irrigation with LBF alone (No RDF (50% P and K as basal, remaining N, P and K as
inorganic) (T11). At 5 MAP, subsurface drip fertigation 100 WSF) (T10). The lowest leaf K content was observed in
per cent RDF as WSF (WSF - Urea, 13: 40: 13, KNO3) + surface irrigation with soil application of RDF (T 1).
LBF (T9) and subsurface drip fertigation of 100% RDF As the crop stage advanced from 5 MAP to shooting,
(50% P and K as basal, remaining N, P and K as WSF) subsurface drip fertigation of 100% RDF as WSF (WSF -
(T4) were comparable and recorded the highest leaf P Urea, 13: 40: 13, KNO3) + LBF (T9) showed its superiority
content of 0.31%. These treatments were closely by registering the highest leaf K content. The treatment
followed by subsurface drip fertigation of 100% RDF subsurface drip irrigation with LBF alone (No inorganic)
(50% P and K as basal, remaining N, P and K as WSF) + (T11) recorded the lowest leaf K content.
LBF (T10) and subsurface drip fertigation of 100% RDF as At harvesting stage, subsurface drip fertigation of 100%
WSF (WSF - Urea, 13: 40: 13, KNO3) (T3). The lowest RDF as WSF (WSF - Urea, 13: 40: 13, KNO3) + LBF (T9)
leaf P content was recorded in the treatment subsurface maintained the highest leaf K content (3.61%). This
drip irrigation with LBF alone (No inorganic) (T11). treatment was on par with subsurface drip fertigation of
At shooting stage, subsurface drip fertigation of 100% 100% RDF (50% P and K as basal, remaining N, P and K
RDF as WSF (WSF - Urea, 13: 40: 13, KNO3) + LBF (T9) as WSF) +LBF (T10), subsurface drip fertigation of 75%
recorded the higher leaf P content of 0.33. This treatment RDF + LBF (P as basal, N and K through drip as urea
was on par with subsurface drip fertigation of 100% RDF and white potash) (T5) and subsurface drip fertigation of
as WSF (WSF - Urea, 13: 40: 13, KNO3) (T3) and 100% RDF (50% P and K as basal, remaining N, P and K
 Yuvaraj and Mahendran 2535

Table 3. Effect of subsurface drip fertigation levels on leaf K proposed different critical levels of nutrients in third leaf of
content (per cent) of banana. banana which range from 1.80 to 4.0% for N (Angeles et
al., 1993), 0.17 to 0.29% for P (Lahav and Turner, 1983)
Treatment 3 MAP 5 MAP At Harvest and 1.66 to 5.40% for K (Noor-Un-Nisha Memon et al.,
T1 2.19 2.83 2.95 2010).
T2 2.93 2.88 3.18
T3 3.15 3.48 3.31
T4 3.04 3.65 3.48 Conclusion
T5 3.02 3.53 3.41
T6 2.64 3.33 3.40 Plant analysis is on authoritative tool for evaluating
T7 2.98 3.17 3.32 nutrient deficiency, toxicities and imbalances, identifying
T8 2.95 3.40 3.21 hidden hunger, deciding fertilization plants, studying
nutrient interaction and determining the availability of
T9 3.46 3.91 3.61
element for which reliable soil tests have not been
T10 3.33 3.69 3.45
developed. The highest NPK content at shooting stage
T11 2.45 2.39 3.11
was recorded in plants received subsurface drip
SE d 0.09 0.09 0.10 fertigation of 100% RDF as WSF (WSF - Urea, 13: 40:
CD(P=0.05) 0.19 0.20 0.21 13, KNO3) + LBF (T9). This was followed by subsurface
MAP, Months after planting. drip fertigation of 100% RDF as WSF (WSF - Urea, 13:
40: 13, KNO3) (T3), subsurface drip fertigation of 100%
RDF (50% P and K as basal, remaining N, P and K as
WSF) + LBF (T10) and subsurface drip fertigation of 100%
as WSF) (T4). The lowest leaf K content was noted in RDF (P as basal, N and K through drip as urea and white
surface irrigation with soil application of RDF (T 1) (Table potash) + LBF (T8). The treatment subsurface drip
3). irrigation with LBF alone (no inorganic) (T 11) recorded the
lowest NPK content in leaves.

DISCUSSION
Conflict of Interest
The leaf NPK was affected significantly by subsurface
drip fertigation treatments under this investigation. The The authors have not declared any conflict of interest.
highest NPK percentage in leaf was recorded by plants
received subsurface drip fertigation of 100% RDF as
WSF (WSF - Urea, 13: 40: 13, KNO3) + LBF. In general, ACKNOWLEDGMENT
there was an increase in NPK contents in all the
treatments up to shooting and thereafter the values The authors express sincere thanks and gratitude to
declined. This shows a heavy loading of NPK in leaves International Panaacea Ltd., New Delhi for financial
during vegetative and shooting stage followed by a support in sponsoring the research project.
decrease in the concentration due to rapid increase in dry
matter caused by faster growth of banana crop. Mitra and
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