GUAVA

Common but important commercial fruit crop of India. It is native to Central America. It can grown in tropical and sub-tropical areas. It is rich source of Vitamin C and Pectin along with Calcium and Phosphorus. 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 Tamilnadu. Also it can be successfully grown throughtout Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. In Punjab, it occupies an area of 8022ha with annual production of 160463MT.
 
Uttar Pradesh is major guava producing state in term of area and production. In Uttar pradesh, Farrukhabad, Kausambi, Aligarh, Allahabad, Badaun, Kanpur, Unnao, Fatehpur, Lucknow, Varanasi, and Faizabad are major guava producing areas.
 

It is a hardy crop. And grows wells in all type of soil from poor, alkaline and ill drained soil. It can 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.

Lucknow Safeda

Red Fleshed

Mirzapuri Seedless

CISH–G–1

CISH-G-2

CISH-G-3

Lalit: Released by CISH, Lucknow. Fruits are medium size and having attractive saffron color. The fruit pulp is firm, pink color with right blend of sugar and acid. 

Shweta: High yielding variety having few soft seeds. TSS of pulp is about 140 Brix. The fruit pulp is of pink color.

 Do ploughing, cross ploughing of land and then levelled the land. Prepare land in such way that water stagnation should not occurred in field.

Time of sowing
February-March or August-September month is optimum time for planting of Guava.
 
Spacing
Ultra High density planting developed by CISH, Lucknow: In this plants are placed at spacing of 1 m x 2 m, accommodates about 2000 plants per acre.  
 
Sowing Depth
Roots should be sown at the depth of 25 cm.
 
Method of sowing
Direct sowing. 
Transplanting method.
Budding
Rootstock raising

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.

Training and Pruning is necessary to provide stronger frame work to guava tree. Stronger frame work 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 seasons growth so carry out light annual pruning and remove upto 10cm tip, it will encourage new shoots after harvesting.
 

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

Apply half of dose of Urea, SSP, and MOP and full dose of cow dung in the month of May-June. Apply remaining half dose of N, P, K in September - October month.

Zinc deficiency is observed in guava plants, to overcome zinc deficiency, take spray of zinc sulphate@1 kg + lime mixture@1/2 kg in 100 Ltr of water for two-three times with interval of 15 days.

To correct boron deficiency, take spray of Borax@2 gm/Liter of water two times in the month of July and September.
 

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.

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.

• 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. Use dry grass, guava leaves, paddy straw or rough paper as cushioning material.