Climate

Latitude and Altitude

Banana is a tropical plant requiring a warm and humid climate.

Tamil Nadu : Bananas can be grown from sea level to an altitude of 1200 metres. The latitude for banana is 10° N to 12° N.
Kerala : Bananas can be grown from sea level to an altitude of 1200 metres. The latitude for banana is 10° N to 14° N.
Karnataka : Bananas can be grown from sea level to an altitude of 1200 metres. The latitude for banana is 14° N to 28° N for Coastal, South and North region.

The problems which result in a banana plantation from low winter temperatures serve to only emphasize the importance of adequate heat as a factor, in banana production.

In coastal areas of Tamil Nadu the cyclonic wind damages the plantations. Hence it is advisable to select areas where mean temperature is around 25°C -30°C with a mean annual rainfall of 100 mm per month.

Banana requires on an average, 1700mm rainfall distributed throughout the year for its satisfactory growth.
Stagnation of water is injurious and may cause diseases like panama wilt.

Wind exerts profound influence on growth and production of banana and it is considered as the scourge in banana plantation world wide.
Wind velocity more than 50 km/hour causes serious damage to banana plantation.
Pseudostems at preflower initiation stage are sometimes cut above ground level to avoid severe wind damage.
However, this practice is adopted only in cyclone prone areas.
A wind velocity of 18-30 km/h is sufficient to spilt the leaf lamina.
Winds at 54-72 km/h can upturn and blow down large plantation while winds at 90-100 km/h completely destroy banana plantations.

When growing banana tree, the humidity must be taken into consideration.
A humidity of at least 50%, preferably higher, is recommended since the banana plant is native to hot and humid parts of the world.
Dry air will damage the banana leaves.

Part shade, particularly the edges of forests and along roadways; too much shade can impair the development of the fruit while too much sun necessitates lots of watering . The banana plant is native to parts of the world where the sunshine is very strong and bright light is therefore a good idea if you want to be successful when growing banana tree. Approximately 12 hours of strong light is recommended for most types of banana.