Shortening the irrigation interval as a means of saving water in a banana plantation

Abstract

We examined the effects of two water quantities (6600 m3/ha, which is regular commercial practice, and 5000 m3/ha) in combination with two irrigation intervals (every 3 days, which is commercial practice, and five pulses daily) on the distribution of water, nitrates and roots in the soil, and on the nutrition, growth, flowering and yield of the Dwarf Cavendish banana. With the pulsed irrigation method, the water tension in the upper soil layer is lower than that in the 3-day interval treatment and so the period of water stress for the banana plant is reduced. The pulsed system reduced soil temperature, encouraged shallower rooting, and reduced leaching of nitrates. Most of the vegetative parameters showed that suckers irrigated by pulses and with the reduced water amount were almost equal to suckers irrigated as in commercial practice. A more efficient use of water by shortening the irrigation interval was found to be a good way of saving water in banana plantations.