Banana Research Centre, Goraul, Vaishali

Overview of Banana Research Centre, Goraul

Banana Research Centre, Goraul established in the Year 2017 under the Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University Pusa. Banana Research Centre, Goraul is situated in the Vaishali district, and it lies at 25ᴼ 56’ N latitude and 85ᴼ 17’ E longitude. Research Centre is located on the National Highway 77 in front of Goraul Block office & Goraul police station, and it connect two major cities Muzaffarpur and Hajipur. This centre is established with the aim to the production of disease-free improved planting material with & dissemination of knowledge and skill among the stakeholders, banana growers and rural youth for the adoption of innovative and improved technologies in the farmer fields for the upliftment of their socio-economic condition.

Challenges

Vaishali is known for fruit crop. The soil is congenial for the fruit crop cultivation. There is abundant moisture, flora and fauna for fruit cultivation. Due to lack of true-to type planting material of Banana, the desired yield could not be attained. Considering this constraint of farmer Government of India has established a Banana Research Centre at Goraul, Vaishali under the administrative control of RPCAU, Pusa to meet out the challenges of quality planting material. Hence, Tissue Culture Lab has been associated with Banana Research Centre, Goraul to produce quality planting material and in desired number of plants in short span of the time for the Bihar particular and adjoining area of Bihar in general.

Mission

To create more opportunity to the practicing farmers and rural youths by promoting the scientific cultivation of Banana and its quality production at farmers fields along with the establishment of a good marketing system.

Mandate

• To increase the production and productivity of banana along with the net income of banana growers through strategic research approach on crop improvement, crop production, water management, crop protection, crop intensity and post-harvest management.
• To produce a large number of high yielding of the true type of superior clones of different varieties of banana and also to provide those banana plants to the banana growers at different parts of the state.
• To serve as a national repository of banana germplasm.
• To disseminate the knowledge and skill for production and productivity of banana through capacity building of stake holders and banana growers.

Thrust Areas of Centre

• Precision farming in Banana for enhanced input use efficiency
• Crop Improvement
• Crop Protection
• Post Harvest Management as well as value addition

Action plan

• Impact of compatible horticulture crop production through intercropping with banana.
• Survey of yellow Sigatoka disease & nematodes pest in Bihar.
• Production of large number of high yielding true type and superior clones of different varieties of banana and also to provide those banana plants to banana growers at different parts of the state.
• Development of demonstration unit for the comparison regarding the performance of tissue culture banana plants and conventional suckers banana plants.
• Target to increase germplasm of banana from 60 to 100.
• Capacity building of stakeholder’s banana growers and rural youth for scientific cultivation of Banana.
• Installation of drip irrigation in the 12.5 acres of Banana field for the water management for a better quality and fruit yield of banana.
• Effect of bunch covering on the fruit infestation by banana fruit scarring beetle.
• Growing the green manure cover crops and its use for the increasing soil health.
• Bulk production of vermin-composting by introducing earthworms after the decomposition of pseudo banana stem kept in the field as waste material.
• Application of bio-fertilizer, bio-fungicides and bio-insecticides for better growth and the management of insect pests and disease.
• Production of large number of high yielding true type and superior clones of different varieties of banana and also to provide those banana plants to banana growers at different parts of the state.
• Installation of automated drip irrigation and fertigation system for banana crop at Banana Research Centre Goraul farm.
• Installation of rainwater harvesting structure at Banana Research Centre, Goraul for the proper disposal of accumulated rainwater.
• Capacity building of stakeholder’s banana growers and rural youth for scientific cultivation of Banana.
• Effect of mulching for surpressing of weeds as well as conservation of soil moisture

Infrastructure available

1. Modern Tissue culture lab
2. Administrative building with Internet

Proposed infrastructure

• Establishment of Post-harvest Lab
• By-product utilisation technology hub
• Automation of the Banana field
• Lab for testing of Soil Flora & Fauna

Achievements

• Germplasm of 60 improved Banana varieties have been maintained.
• BRC, Goraul has supplied more than 3 lakhs tissue culture plants of G-9 varieties to the farmers of Bihar and other states for the year 2022-23.    
• BRC, Goraul has supplied banana suckers of different varieties to the farmers of Bihar as well as adjoining states for the year 2022-23.
• BRC, Goraul has imparted training and demonstrated scientific cultivation of Banana among farmers of Vaishali, Muzaffarpur and Sheohar districts. 
• Experiments were designed for the optimum use of land ( intercrop Colocasia , Elephant Foot Yam & Turmeric with Banana).

Faculty Strength