Effect of sub surface drip fertigation on post harvest soil nitrogen phosphorous and potassium range of banana cv. Rasthali

Field experiment was carried out at AICRP- Water Management block, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai during 2010 - 2011 to study the effect of subsurface drip fertigation on growth, yield, quality and economics of banana cv. Rasthali. Banana requires high levels of nutrients for proper growth and production. It is estimated that a crop of fifty two tones in one hectare removes 320 kg of N, 32 kg of P2O5and 925 kg K2O every year. The frequent supply of nutrients with irrigation water in fertigation treatment significantly increased NPK uptake over drip irrigation. The uptake was higher under 100 per cent fertigation rate compared to other fertigation rates. The uptake of nutrients was higher for sucker grown banana plant compared with tissue culture plants due to greater accumulation of dry matter.