Horticulture Department Promotes ‘AngAsh Krishi Banana Farming’ for Sustainable Long-Term Returns

Bengaluru, May 31: Banana is the most important commercial crop in the country, and to increase its productivity in the state of Karnataka, the Horticulture Department has requested farmers to use scientific technology AngAsh Krishi (Khiissue Autanaudie) banana seedlings instead of traditional banana seedlings.

In India, about 383.00 lakh metric tonnes of banana are produced annually in an area of ​​9 lakh hectares, with a productivity of 42 metric tonnes per hectare. However, in Karnataka, only 12 lakh metric tonnes are produced in an area of ​​46 thousand hectares, with a productivity of only 26 metric tonnes per hectare. This is significantly lower than the national average. The main reason for this is that old and traditional banana seedlings are still planted due to lack of adequate information among farmers. To increase banana yield in the state, the Horticulture Department is encouraging farmers to use tissue culture banana seedlings using advanced technology. The department has released thirteen (13) major differences between the traditional banana seedlings commonly used by farmers and the tissue culture seedlings scientifically prepared in the laboratory for the information of farmers.

Plant health and disease resistance: When traditional banana seedlings are used, there is a high possibility of diseases and pests spreading very quickly in the garden. However, tissue culture seedlings are completely disease-free and healthy as they are grown in a controlled environment in the laboratory. The survival rate of the plants is also higher in tissue culture, while the survival rate of the plants in traditional seedlings is less.

Growth and harvesting period: When normal banana seedlings are planted, the growth of the plants in the garden is not uniform and uneven and the harvest also comes at different times. This makes it difficult to market systematically. In contrast, since the plants of Angasha cultivation grow uniformly and uniformly, the entire plantation crop is harvested at the same time. This helps the farmers to harvest together as per the market demand.

Yield and fruit quality: The biggest advantage of Angasha cultivation technology is that it gives very high and consistent yield. Its fruits are large in size, uniform in shape and of excellent quality. But in conventional banana plantations, the yield is low and unstable and there is a lot of variation in the size and quality of the fruit.

Water, Fertilizer and Disease Management: In conventional farming, water and fertilizer are likely to be wasted and management is difficult due to the high prevalence of diseases. On the other hand, the water and fertilizer given to Angasha cultivation seedlings are used very efficiently and effectively. Since the disease rate is very low in it, disease management is also easy.

Cost of cultivation and total profit: Considering the initial cost, the purchase cost of conventional banana plantations is less and the initial cost of Angasha cultivation seedlings is slightly higher. However, from the perspective of long-term sustainable agriculture, in the traditional system, there is a high possibility of disease accumulation in the soil and the labor and maintenance costs are often unstable. However, in open field farming, due to easy management, not only labor costs are reduced, but also the fruits get a better price in the market, which results in higher profits for the farmers in the long run.

The price of banana seedlings at different stages is as follows

X-agar stage seedling: Only Rs. 6/- per seedling

98-cavity protray seedling: Only Rs. 7/- per seedling

4”*6” polybag seedling: Only Rs. 12/- per seedling

Farmers can purchase seedlings from the official and reliable source of the department and make financial progress without being cheated by any private individuals.

Farmers can get good quality disease-free open field farming banana seedlings at a fair price from the Bangalore Biological Center, Hulimavu, opposite Royal Meenakshi Mall.

For more information, department officials can be contacted at 7975736459 or 9880234281, the release said.

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