Bengaluru, Feb 12 (TIWN) As part of the ongoing five-day National Horticulture Fair 2021, farmers from the Northeast, Maharashtra and Goa on Thursday participated in a virtual interaction programme with scientists from the Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Horticultural Research and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

They discussed fruit tree canopy management and the rhizome rot disease in banana plantation. Assam is one of the top 10 banana producing states in the country, with Maharashtra holding the top position.  The experts said that banana being a succulent, evergreen and shallow rooted crop, it requires large quantity of water for increasing its productivity.  "Water management is important for maintaining banana crops. In winter, irrigation should be provided once a week, while in summer it should be given at an interval of twice weekly or 10 days, depending on the climate. However, during the rainy season, water should be provided only if required, otherwise excess irrigation will lead to root zone problems, such as rhizome rot disease," the experts said.