Guava (Psidium guajava L.) is one of the important commercial fruits grown in our country. It is a very popular and hardy fruit.
It can be grown on varying types of soil and climatic conditions in the country. The fruit remains available throughout the year, and because it is relatively cheaper, everyone can afford to buy it.
Guava is native to tropical America, but the best quality is grown in north India.
The total area under guava in the country is about 15.15 million hectares, of which Bihar is the leading state, followed by AP and Uttar Pradesh.
Nutritive Value of Guava ;
The nutritional value of guava fruit in 100-gram edible portion are as follows:
The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
The vitamin ‘C’ content of 100 g of guava is 100-260 mg, which is higher in comparison to other fruits except for Barbados Cherry and Aonla.
Besides vitamins, the fruit is a rich source of minerals like calcium, iron, and phosphorous Seeds of guava are a rich source of iron, particularly.
Requirement of Climatic Condition for Guava Cultivation ;
1) Tropical and subtropical conditions are suitable for guava cultivation.
2) The favorable temperature for guava cultivation is 15 to 30 degrees Celsius.
3) Guava crops can tolerate the drought, but the young plants are susceptible to frost and drought conditions.
Soil Requirement for Guava Cultivation ;
1) Guava cultivation can be done under different types of soils.
2) The pH range between 6 to 7.5 is more suitable for its cultivation.
3) The pH range above 7.5 may cause the possibility of neck diseases in Guava fields.
1) At many places, guava is mainly propagated by seeds, but there is a lower variation found among the plants if so multiplied.
2) It is advisable to multiply by vegetative methods like veneer grafting, patch budding, air layering, etc.
3) Veneer grafting is a very good method that gives 80% success.
4) Patch budding is an easy and successful method practiced in North India
5) Air-layering is generally practiced in South India.
Guava Planting ;
1) Plants are transplanted during the months of July-August at a distance of 6-7 meters with an optimum population of 280 plants per hectare.
2) Planting is done in the pits of 50 cm x 50 cm x 50 cm size, dug in all marked places.
3) Fill the pits with 20–25 kgs of FYM, 500 g of SSP, and one kg of neem cake. If required, treat the soil with any termiticide
Irrigation in Guava Orchard ;
1) The amount of irrigation given to guava fields depends upon the prevailing climatic conditions and types of soil
2) Normally, the guava crop requires very little irrigation.
3) However, young plants, one to two years old, require 10 to 12 irrigations in a year.
4) When the guava orchard is in full fruit-bearing stage 2 to 3, irrigation must be given after the fruit set; it will help in the improvement of fruit size and fruit quality.
Manuring in Guava;
1) For one or two-year-old guava plant, 10-15 kg F.Y.M., 50 gm N, 30 gm P2O5, and 150 gm K2O should be given.
2) These doses should be increased as per the age of the plant. e.g., for a 6-year-old plant, 50 kg F.Y.M., 250 g N, 150 g P2O5, and 250 gm K2O will be required. Now, this dose should be applied constantly to further old plants.
3) The best time for fertilizer application is the months of June and February.
Pruning in Guava Orchard ;
1) In guava, pruning is required to provide the plants with a strong framework.
2) No lateral shoots should be allowed to grow on the main stem up to the height of about 90 cm from the base. Three to four main branches are allowed to grow at this height only.
3) As the fruit is borne on new growth, heavy pruning of bearing trees increases fruiting.
4) All the dried and dead twigs should be removed from time to time.
5) Any shoot emerging The lower base of the plant should be removed at once.
Flowering and Fruiting in Guava;
1) In north India, flowering takes place three times a year, i.e. March/April, July/August, and October/November.
2) Spring season flowering produces the mature crop during the rainy season.
3) Similarly, the rainy season flowering crops give the crop during winter and October–November flowering in the spring season.
4) The winter season crop is of better quality and fetches a good price in the market.
Disease Management in Guava ;
Anthracnose
a) Anthracnose: (Gloeosporium psidii );
Pseudocercospora Leaf Spot
The major symptom of this disease is Sunken, dark brown to black-colored lesions that appear on mature fruits, which further may be covered in pinkish spores The lesions may coalesce to form large necrotic patches on the surface of guava fruit
This disease mostly occurs in moist, warm weather, which is further spread by a slash of water Control: Spraying of guava trees with a Bordeaux mixture 0.6 % / Copper oxychloride 0.2% well before the onset of monsoon may reduce the chances of the disease incidence. b) Pseudocercospora Leaf Spot (Pseudocercospora psidii)
This disease can occur on leaves, stems and Fruits of the Guava tree Symptoms of this disease are small circular and subcircular dark brown lesions that appear on the plant surface with diffuse borders. Control: Spraying copper oxychloride at 0.3 percent can reduce the infection.
c)Wilt (Fusarium sp) : Wilt (Fusarium sp)
This is a serious disease of guava trees. Guava wilt is sometimes encountered, especially in alkaline soils. The symptoms of guava wilting can be easily visualized by browning and wilting of the leaves, discoloration of the stem, and later on the death of the branches along one side. Eventually, the infection girdles the entire stem, and the whole plant may wilt. In some of the severe cases, the whole tree may die. Control: wilt infection can be controlled by soil drenching with Brasicol and spraying of Bavistin (0.1%) around the roots and leaves at an interval of 15 days.
This disease can affect leaves, young shoots, inflorescence, and fruit of the guava tree. The major symptoms are distortion, defoliation, stunted plant growth, and mortality of plants under severe infection. The symptoms on the leaves can be visualized in the form of dark-bordered, roughly circular brown lesions with yellow halos that develop.
Control; spraying of rust fungicides on the tree, as soon as the favorable condition of disease development prevails. In addition to this, proper cultural practices and sanitation may avoid the disease pressure.
Guava Insect: pest management ;
a)Guava fruit fly(Bactrocera spp.)
Guava fruit fly
Adult and Maggot attacks on the ripening fruits of the plants create a depression due to oviposition puncture on the fruit. Maggot converts the fruit pulp into a bad-smelling pulp.
Control; Spray dimethoate 30 EC, 1 ml/lit, two rounds at fortnight intervals before the ripening of its fruit. Collect and destroy the fallen-infested fruits, summer ploughing will help to expose pupa.
b) Guava Weevil (Conotrachelus psidii )
Guava Weevil
Caterpillar bores in the fruit feed the pulp and seeds, causing petrification and prematurity of the fruits. Deposition of larval excreta in the fruits causes fermentation.
Control: Spraying of malathion 50 EC 0.1% in two rounds, once at the time of flower formation and next at fruit set, to collect and destroy the damaged fruits of the plants.
c) Green Scale (Coccus Viridis) ; Green Scale (Coccus Viridis)
The leaves of the plant are covered by a sticky substance; further, it may have the growth of a sticky mold. The nymph and adult of the insects suck the sap from the leaves. Leaves become yellow, resulting in the dropping of the plant leaves.
Control; prune and destroy the infested portion of the plant at the initial stage and apply parasitoids like Aneristis sp Coccophgagus cowperi, C. bogoriensis
Harvesting and yield ;
Fruits of guava cannot be stored for a long time after harvesting due to its short shelf-life of an average 2-3 days.
Therefore, units must be plucked as and when they ripen and also according to the demand market. Plucking extends over several weeks. The yield of about 500 to 600 fruits is obtained from the Allahabad Safeda variety in Allahabad conditions.(8000-9000 kg per acre)
