Composite Effect of Drip Irrigation and Different Color Mulching of Banana Crop in North Bihar Agro-climatic Condition

The Research work was carried out with three main treatments; 100, 80, and 60% of V volume of water through drip and five sub-treatment with different color mulch i.e black, blue, red, white color plastic mulch and without mulch (control) with three replications. Variety Grand Naine of Banana crop was selected. Experimental field layout designed by using split plot design (SPD).

Combined effect of drip irrigation and mulching on water saving, vegetative growth, flowering time, bunch emergence time, harvesting time, different yield parameters and quality of banana fruits were found to be better in treatment application of T2 i’e 80% of V volume of water through drip irrigation along with black color of plastic mulch to the tune of 14.95% in water saving; 176.15 cm plant height; 60.23 cm plant girth; average number of functional leaves 17.6; flowering time 292 day after planting; bunch emergence time318 day after planting; harvesting time391 day after planting. The average bunch length 101.90 cm; average number of hands per bunch 11.3: average number of fingers per bunch107.97; average weight of bunch19.77 kg; yield 879.42 q/ha; average length of fingers 14.01 cm; average circumference of fingers 11.90 cm and average weight of fingers 115.04 g. The water use efficiency was evaluated to be maximum i.e. 26.30 q/ha-cm in treatment T3 (0.6V volume (29.54 cm) of water application through drip). The maximum soil temperature (23.69oC) and soil moisture (29.29%) were found in treatment T3 and T1, respectively along with color plastic mulch. The maximum benefit cost ratio was estimated to the tune of 3.76 in treatment T2 along with black color plastic mulch.