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While planting banana select a rhizome of about one kilogram
weight. Select a rhizome that has its first leaves like a sword
and not flat leaves.
Answer: -(________________________)
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Generally the rhizome is cut four inches at the top. The rhizome
part is smeared with ash and cow dung slurry. It is planted
one foot deep in the soil keeping the top at lest four inches
above the soil. Hill plantation is one method pit plantation
and another method. Press the soil near the rhizome hard.
Answer: -(________________________)
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The first few leaves are generally of one square feet area.
Then regular growth of one new leaf of every ten days starts.
Then the next leaf should always be double the size of the previous
leaf.
Answer: -(________________________)
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If the growth of each coming leaf is not getting doubled look
for the reasons. Less nursery soil, or less watering or excess
watering. The rhizome is not properly pressed in the soil and
many other reasons.
Answer: -(________________________)
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The life of each emerging leaves is about five months. So after
fifth month old leaf dies and the new leaf emerges. So a good
banana plant has about fifteen leaves after five months of its
age.
Answer: -(___________________________)
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The size of the leaves goes on increasing with each emerging
leaf. The maximum size of the leaf should be achieved before
the plant is four months old. At the most, by the end of the
fifth month, the leaves should be of full size (about four feet
long and three feet wide).
Answer: -(___________________________)
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The total area of all the fifteen leaves is then about 125
sq.feet. to 150 sq.feet. That is its canopy area is about five
times the area taken by each plant (which is 25 sq.feet.) Each
leaf is of the area about 8 sq.feet.
Answer: -(___________________________)
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As after five months each one leaf dies and the other new leaf
comes the need of adding more nursery soil ends after fourth
month.
Answer: -(__________________________)
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One must be very careful to study the growth rate of the size
of the leaves from the very beginning of the emergence of the
second leaf or should write for advice at the earliest
Answer: -(__________________________)
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We should never cut the leaves of banana plant before it dies
on its own. While dying most of the nutrients in the leaf are
returned back to the plant for use in the next new growth or
for storage.
Answer: -(__________________________)
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Keep a detail report of the time table of the nursery soil,
also keep the full record of each leaf's length and breadth
after it is fully spread (date wise). Also keep the height of
the stem and the length of the girth at the bottom of the stem
after each complete growth of the leaf.
Answer: -(__________________________)
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Each banana variety has different spreading habits. Early
varieties that give full crop in 13 months after plantation
take about 25 sq.feet. of area. Late varieties that take 16
to 18 months take about 36 sq.feet. of area.
Answer: - (_____________________________)
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Now for each sq.feet area of canopy (spread) the requirement
of nursery soil is 4 liters (two and half liters minimum if
the soil is very good) so, the total nursery soil for early
banana plant is about 100 liters and late variety 150 liters.
Answer: - (_____________________________)
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The growth of the banana plant in the first month is about
one sq.feet. canopy. So the nursery soil we should provide at
the time of plantation is about double this that is about eight
liters. Then at the beginning of second month give double the
amount of soil that is 16 liters because by the end of second
month a good healthy banana plant will have a canopy spread
of about 2 sq.feet.
Answer: - (_____________________________)
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In the same way at the beginning of the third month give double
the amount of second month nursery soil that is 32 liters and
in the beginning of the fourth month again double this soil
that is 64 liters of nursery. Then by the end of the fourth
month the banana plant will have a spread of 25 sq.feet. and
total soil given will be 8+16+32+64=116 liters
Answer:- (_____________________________)
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For late variety, double the soil after every one and half
month starting with 8 liters and so at the beginning 8 liters,
than 11/2 month 16 liters than 3 months 32 liters than 41/2
64 liters and again 6 months 64 liters.
Answer:- (_____________________________)
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As banana is a heavy feeder its nursery soil must contain half
of its volume as fully compost soil. That is at the end of the
fourth month the banana plant must have a good compost part
of volume 50 liters for early varieties. The dry weight of this
compost will be about 20 kilograms.
Answer: -(_________________________)
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By proper greening the space between banana plants we can provide
this biomass to the plant. For this sow about ten grams of cowpea
seed (four seeds per sq.feet.) and also spoonful of Bajra seeds.
Remove Bajra seeds when one and half month old and cowpeas when
they are at flowering stage (about two and half months). After
pulling the biomass cut it and spread it (to paper thickness)
covered with thin layer of mineral soil and keep the soil moist
(see the experiment card-1)
Answer: -(_________________________)
