GUAVA

Common but important commercial fruit crop of India. It is native to Central America. It can be grown in tropical and sub-tropical areas. It is rich source of Vitamin C and Pectin along with Calcium and Phosphorus. It is the fourth most important crop after Mango, Banana and Citrus. It can be grown all over India. Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Orissa, WB, AP and Tamil Nadu are guava growing states. Also it can be successfully grown throughout Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. In Himachal Pradesh, guava farming is done above 1200m height from sea level.

It is a hardy crop and grows wells in all type of soil from poor, alkaline and little drained soil. It can be grown in soil having pH ranging from 6.5 to 7.5. It gives best results when grown under deep, well drained, sandy loam to clay loam soil.

Allahabad Safeda: Dwarf variety with round crown and spreading branches. Fruit is smooth, round and flesh is of white color with pleasant flavor. TSS ranges from 10-12%. Gives average yield of 145 kg per Tree.  

Lucknow 49 (Sardar Amrood): Variety is prepared from Allahabad Safeda, large sized fruit, rough peel, white flesh, small sized plant but is relatively larger than Allahabad Safeda. Flesh is of creamy white, smooth, juicy with rich test. TSS ranges from 10-12%. Gives average yield of 130-155 kg per tree.

Other state varieties:

Lalit: Released from Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture. It has pink color inner flesh and outer skin is saffron in color. It gives 24% more yield than Allahabad Safeda. Suitable for both eating and resource purpose. The plants are provided by the institute at low prices.

CISH-G-1: It has deep red color fruits which are sweet in taste. It has attractive fruits which has soft seeds. Suitable for export purpose.

CISH-G-2: Fruits contain red color flesh having white lines on skin. The fruit contains soft seeds.

CISH-G-4: Fruits are round in shape and is sweet in taste. Fruits contain moderate soft seeds. This is a good yield potential variety.

Allahabad Surkha: Seedless variety. Large fruit with uniform pink color flesh. 

Apple guava: Pink colored medium size fruits. Fruits having sweet taste with good keeping quality.

Chittidar: Popular variety of Uttar Pradesh. Fruits are similar to Allahbad Safeda variety except these fruits having red dots on skin. Its TSS content is higher than Allahbad Safeda and L 49 variety. 

Arka Amulya: Dwarf variety with compact, round crown with dense foliage. Fruit is of large size, smooth, round and having white flesh. TSS ranges from 9.3 to 10.1%. Gives average yield of 144 kg per tree.
 

Plants are propagated by budding or Air layering. Sardar variety seeds are tolerant to wilt and can be used for raising rootstock. Extract seed from ripen fruit and sow them in raise bed in August-March. Make raised beds of 2mx1m. When seedling becomes six months old they are ready for transplantation. Transplanted seedling when attain diameter of 1-1.2cm and height of 15cm they are ready for budding process. May and June months are best for budding process. Freshly cut, angular bud wood from current season’s growth is used for budding purpose.

Time of sowing
July- September is optimum time for planting. In irrigated areas the plantation can be done in February month.

Spacing
For planting use spacing of 6x5 m. If for planting distance of 7 m is used, then in square system, 132 plants can be accommodating in one acre.

Sowing Depth
Roots should be sown at the depth of 25 cm.

Method of sowing
Direct sowing
Transplanting method
Budding
Rootstock raising
 

Fertilizer Requirement (kg/acre)

Nutrient Requirement (kg/acre)

Add well decomposed cow dung in December month. Fertilizer dose is added in two equal splits i.e. first half dose is added in May-June month and second half dose is added in September-October month. At the time of zinc deficiency spraying of 2kg zinc sulphate + 1kg lime + 200ltr water is done on sprouting leaves. 

After planting, irrigate crop immediately, then irrigate on third day, afterwards irrigate depending upon soil type and climate. Irrigation is not required to well establish orchards. Young plantation required irrigation at weekly interval in summer month and 2-3 irrigation during winter month. Avoid flood irrigation during flowering stage as it leads to excessive flower drop.

Training and Pruning is necessary to provide stronger frame work to guava tree. Stronger frame works help to support high yield. To maintain the productivity of trees, light pruning at time of first harvesting is necessary. Regularly remove dead and disease infected branches. Modified leader system of training is followed. Flowers in guava are borne on current season\\\'s growth so carry out light annual pruning and remove upto 10cm tip, it will encourage new shoots after harvesting.

During initial 3-4 years, grow vegetable like carrot, okra, brinjal and radish can be taken as intercrop. Also legumes crop like gram, beans can be sown as intercrop.

Weed control is necessary for good crop growth and yield. To keep check on weed growth, apply Gramoxone 6ml/litre of water in March, July and September month. Apply Glyphosate@1.6Ltr/acre as post-emergence when weed growth is active (before weeds flower and attained height of 15-20cm). 200Ltr of water is sufficient to spray one acre land. Do not spray these herbicides on the guava plants. Use these herbicides only on weeds.

• Pest and their control:

Fruit Fly: It is serious pest of guava. Females lay eggs below epidermis of young fruits. Later on maggots feed on pulp afterward fruits starts rotting and get drop.

If orchards are having history of fruit fly, avoid taking rainy season crop. Do harvesting at right time. Avoid delay in harvesting. Remove and destroyed infested branches, fruits away from field. Take spray of Fenvalerate@80ml in 150Ltr of water at weekly intervals on fruit ripening. Harvest fruit third day after spraying of Fenvalerate.

Mealy Bug: They suck sap from different plant parts and thus weaken plant. If infestations of sucking pests like Mealy bug is observed then to control spray with Chlorpyriphos 50EC @300ml/100Ltr of water.

Guava Shoot Borer: It is a serious pest of nursery. Infested shoots get dry up.

If infestation is observed, take spray of Chlorpyriphos@500ml or Quinalphos@400ml in 100Litres of water per acre.

Aphid: Serious and common pest of Guava. Adult and nymphs, both suck the sap thus weaken the plant. In severe infestation, they cause curling and deformation of young leaves. They secrete honey dew like substance and Sooty, black mould is developed on affected parts.

If infestation is observed to control takes spray of Dimethoate@20ml or Methyl Demeton@20ml per 10Ltr water on new flush.

• Disease and their control:
  

Wilt: Serious disease of Guava crop. Yellowing, wilting of leaves along with defoliation are symptoms of wilt infestation.

Keep field well drained; avoid water logging condition in field. Remove and destroyed infected plants away from field. Drench nearby soil with Copper oxychloride@25gm or Carbendazim@20gm/10Ltr of water.

Anthracnose or Dieback: Dark brown or black spots are observed on shoots. On fruits also small, raise, dark spots are observed. Fruits rot completely within 2 to 3days after infection.

Keep field clean, destroyed infected plant parts, fruits also avoid water logging condition in soil. After pruning take spray of Captan@300gm in 100Ltr water. At fruit set repeat the spray of Captan and continue till fruits get mature with interval of 10-15days. If infestation observed in field take spray of Copper oxychloride@30gm/10Ltr on infected trees.

Within 2-3years after planting comes to bearing. Harvesting to be done when fruits get mature. On maturity, fruits changes color from dark green to greenish yellow. Do harvesting at proper time and avoid over-ripening of fruits as it deteriorate quality and test.

After harvesting, carry out cleaning, grading and packing operations. As gauva is perishable fruits, it should be marketed immediately after harvest. For packing use CFB, corrugated fibre boxes or bamboo baskets of different size.