Studies on the effect of fruit growth enhancing substance and bunch covering on fruit growth, yield and sun burn percentage of banana cv. Karpura Chakkera Keli

The experiment was conducted at Aswaraopet (Bhadradri Kothagudem Dist., Telangana) during 2023-24 utilized an RBD (factorial concept) with 20 treatment combinations replicated three times. It tested fruit growth substances: Sulphate of potash at 1.5%, Gibberellic acid at 100 ppm, Seaweed extract at 0.1%, Seaweed extract at 0.1% + Sulphate of potash at 1.5%, and a control. Bunch covering materials included a Non-woven bunch cover, Double-layered blue polythene bunch cover, Gunny bags, and control. Results indicated that the combination of Seaweed extract at 0.1% + Sulphate of potash at 1.5% resulted the fewest days from shooting to harvest (77.89 days), maximum bunch length (94.33 cm) and finger length (19.21 cm). Gibberellic acid at 100 ppm produced the highest bunch weight (20.05 kg), hands per bunch (10.71), fingers per hand (17.50), finger girth (4.05 cm), finger weight (124.85 g), yield (61.75 t/ha), and lowest sunburn percentage (5.74%). Among bunch coverings, double-layered blue polythene resulted in the fewest days to harvest (82.55 days). At the same time, the Non-woven cover recorded maximum bunch length (94.49 cm), weight (20.39 kg), finger length (18.53 cm), girth (4.03 cm), weight (134.20 g), yield (61.42 t/ha), and minimum sunburn (4.29%). The best combination was Seaweed extract at 0.1% + Sulphate of potash at 1.5% with Non-woven bunch cover (P4B1), resulting in 76.90 days to harvest and the longest bunch length (99.25 cm). The combination of Gibberellic acid at 100 ppm with Non-woven cover (P2B1) produced the highest bunch weight (22.37 kg), hands per bunch (11.53), fingers per hand (19.50), yield (68.31 t/ha), and lowest sunburn (3.32%).