Expert Advisory Details

Protect guava from fruit rot in rainy season

Guava fruit is a very important fruit of Punjab state. This fruit is second to citrus in terms of area and production and can be easily grown in all the districts of Punjab. It is grown both commercially as well as domestically. Guava tree gives fruit twice a year, one in the rainy season and the other in winters. When I was working in the Horticulture Department of Punjab, I saw that farmers and other people used to complain that our guavas rot in the rains. In this regard, Horticulture Department Punjab and Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana are being made aware through newspapers, radio and television.

It is said that the guava fruit rots in the months of July and August as the guava plant is not blessed, but the truth is that in the month of July-August, the fruit fly becomes active and this fruit turns green to yellow. When infected, it stings and lays eggs, due to which a worm gets into the fruit. To prevent this, it is recommended to spray Fenvilrate 20 EC at the rate of 2.5 ml per liter of water at an interval of a week. Its fruit should be eaten after 3 days of spraying.

To control fruit fly, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana has recommended installation of 16 fruit fly traps per acre in the first week of July. This attracts male flies to the fruit fly trap and dies after going inside the trap. This does not increase the number of fruit flies. These fruit fly traps can be obtained from Horticulture Department Punjab or Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. The cost of these traps is around Rs 120 per trap. Therefore, all the farmers should use this technique to protect the guava fruit from rotting and increase their economy.

As per the recommendation of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, summer harvest of guava crop should be avoided. Guava flowers should be removed in the month of May to get winter crop. To remove the flowers in May month, 10% urea can be sprayed or 60 grams of NAA dissolved in 100 ml of alcohol can be sprayed by adding it to 100 liters of water. Flowers can be harvested even after avoiding watering in the month of May. Guava fruit can also be plucked by hand at domestic level. With this, winter flowers will come early and the crop will be obtained soon. The quality of fruits will be good and more income can be obtained from the economic side.

A 10-year-old plant should be fertilized twice a year as follows.

• Add 50 kg of cow dung manure in the month of May.

• Apply half kg urea, 125 kg superphosphate and 750 gm muriate of potash in the month of June.

• Apply chemical fertilizers in the same quantity in the month of June and same quantity in the month of September-October.

• Timely and right application of fertilizers will increase the size, yield and quality of the fruit.

For more information, contact the experts of Horticulture Department Punjab or PAU Ludhiana.