Question:

Annual water requirement of banana

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Banana is sensitive to even short periods of drought. For competitive exams, remember that it has one of the highest "Water Use Efficiency" requirements among fruit crops due to its non-dormant nature.
  • 500 - 700 mm
  • 800 - 1000 mm
  • 1200 - 2200 mm
  • 2500 - 3000 mm
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The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Banana is an herbaceous perennial that belongs to the family Musaceae. It is a moisture-loving plant characterized by a high transpiration rate due to its large leaf area and the presence of a succulent pseudostem. Because banana lacks a true dormant period and grows continuously throughout the year in tropical and subtropical climates, its water demand is both high and constant.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

The water requirement of any crop depends on the climate, soil type, and stage of plant growth. For banana, water is essential for maintaining cell turgidity, which supports the heavy bunch, and for the efficient transport of nutrients from the soil to the massive canopy.
Physiologically, banana requires about 20 to 25 liters of water per plant per day for optimum productivity. In terms of annual depth, the standard requirement ranges from 1200 mm to 2200 mm. In regions with well-distributed rainfall, this may be met naturally, but in most commercial plantations in India, irrigation is mandatory.
Critical stages for water application include the vegetative phase, flower bud initiation, and the bunch development stage. Insufficient moisture during these periods leads to reduced leaf size, delayed flowering, and significantly smaller fingers. Conversely, waterlogging must be avoided as it leads to root asphyxiation and promotes diseases like Panama wilt.
Modern irrigation techniques, such as drip irrigation, are highly recommended for banana as they maintain soil moisture at field capacity, reducing the total water depth needed compared to surface irrigation while boosting yields by nearly 30 percent.

Step 3: Final Answer:

The annual water requirement for commercial banana production is 1200 - 2200 mm.
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