Land Preparation

• Prepare the field by ploughing or digging and dig pits for planting.
• Size of pits depends upon soil type, water table and variety.
• In general, pit size of 50 cm x 50 cm x 50 cm is recommended.
• In low-lying areas, take mounds for planting suckers.

Production of quality planting materials

Vegetative Method

• Commercial bananas are seedless and propagated exclusively by vegetative means.
• The banana has a reduced underground stem, called the rhizome, which bears several buds.
• Each of these buds sprouts and forms its own pseudo stem and a new bulbous rhizome. These daughter plants are called suckers.
• Banana is mostly propagated by rhizomes and suckers viz. sword suckers and water suckers.
• Sword suckers have a well-developed base with narrow sword-shaped leaf blades at the early stages.
• Water sucker possess broad leaves, which do not produce healthy banana clumps. Suckers of 2-4 months age are selected.

Tissue Culture

• The soil borne diseases transmitted through rhizomes and the bunchy top disease are a major concern.
• Tissue culture offers method for faster multiplication of superior clones and production of disease-free propagules using meristem tip culture method.

Selection of suckers

• Choosing and planting a good variety is a very important aspect of banana production.
• Select 3-4-month old disease free sword suckers from healthy clumps, weigh about 700 - 1000 grams at the base and have a circumference of 35 - 45 cm, should be selected for planting. sword suckers are also called peeli kann and vaal kann
• Water suckers, which have short, broad leaves, are not suitable for planting as they are not strong enough.
• The suckers should be taken from a banana plant that produces good bunches and is free from diseases and pests.
• In the case of Nendran variety, cut back pseudostem to a length of 15-20 cm from corm and remove old roots.
• Along with this, roots, large lateral buds, and damaged parts of the plant should be removed.
• The rhizomes are to be smeared with cowdung solution and ash and dried in the sun for about 3-4 days and stored in shade up to 15 days before planting
• The stems of other bananas, except for Nendran, do not need to be dried.
• If planting during the rainy season, it is not advisable to cut them as there is a possibility of waterlogging and rotting the stems. However, there is nothing wrong with cutting the leaves in half lengthwise.

Planting

• Plant suckers upright in the centre of pits with 5 cm pseudostem remaining above soil level.
• After adding organic manures, it is sufficient to cover the holes before the first fertilizer application as the banana grows.
• When planting banana during the rainy season, the holes should be covered immediately.