Important cultural practices

a) Desuckering:

• Desuckering is done by cutting the pseudostem of sucker at the ground level followed by application of kerosene/2-4, D @ 0.5 per cent also the growth of suckers can be inhibited by damaging the cut end to prevent further growth.
• As banana produces number of suckers, if allowed, they compete for moisture nutrition with mother plant; one or two healthy sword suckers may be allowed to grow for ratoon crop.

b) Earthing up:

• To prevent uprooting of plant by wind soil is mounded around the pseudostem during rainy season.

c) Propping:

• Providing support to the plant when it is at bunching stage.
• If dwarf variety and closed spacing no propping is required but for all tall varieties, it is required by using bamboo poles or any other supports.

d) Denaveling:

• Removal of male buds after the last set of fruit. It increases the bunch weight/fruit weight and quality of fruits also.

e) Thrashing:

• A process of removal of old, dry, diseased and senescent leaves this could reduce the disease and facilitate better light, temperature and air.
• However, if leaves are pruned before bunch initiation, flowering is delayed and cycle time increased.
• A minimum of 12 leaves are required to be retained for maximum yields

f) Bunch covering:

• Bagging of bunch with perforated polythene cover or dried leaves to protect against cold, sun scorching, attack of thrips and other scrapping insects, during bunch maturity stage, the bags may be coated with pesticides.

g) Mattocking:

• It is the process of cutting the pseudostem after harvesting of bunches.
• After harvesting the pseudostem should be cut leaving a stump of about 0.6m height, the left-over stump with its stored food material continues to nourish the daughter sucker (follower) till it withers and dries up.

h) Tipping:

• It is the removal of heart or male bud.
• It is a practice recommended for improving the appearance of the bunch as well as to ward off ‘fingertip’ disease.

i) Removal of floral remnants:

• The removal of dried and persistent floral remnants present at the apex of the fruit or finger helps in preventing the spread of fungal diseases.
• These floral remnants provide shelter to some of the fungal spores

j) Use of plant growth regulators:

• Spraying of NAA at 100 ppm after 5 and 7 months of planting markedly increases fruit size and yield.
• Spraying of 2-4 D@ 20ppm increased the quality of fruits.
• Application of GA3 at 50mg/l resulted in maximum yield and required less number of days for fruit maturity in Giant Governor Banana.