Grow Guava in Punjab for Crop Diversification

Guava is a very popular fruit and is available throughout the year. Being very hardy, it gives an assured crop even with very little care. Its cost of production is also low because its requirement for fertilizer, irrigation and plant protection are not much. Guava is ranked second in area under cultivation in Punjab.

Importance of Guava:

Being highly nutritious in nature and fruit prices remains up to the reach of every consumer it is also known as “poor man’s apple.” It has various uses as fresh fruit as well as processed product due to its high content of vitamin ‘C’, pectin, iron, calcium and other minerals. it has high processing value and can be processed into many products such as guava juice, RTS, jelly, jam, wine, powder, toffee, Cheese, ice cream topping, nectar etc. Due to its nutritive value it is an ideal fruit for nutritional security.   

Nutritional Value:

Guava is a nutritionally important fruit due to its excellent source of vitamins C, niacin, riboflavin and vitamin, iron, phosphorus and calcium and minerals. It is rich in vitamin C (200-260 mg /100 g) which is 4-5 times higher than the content in citrus fruits. it has the second highest vitamin C content among all fruits after acerola or barbados cherry, which has the highest vitamin C content. The ripe fruit of guava contains 82% water, 2.45% acid, 4.45% reducing sugar, 5.23% on reducing sugar, 9.73% TSS, 0.48% ash and 260 mg Vit C per 100 g of fruit. The phenolic compounds in guava help to cure cancerous cells and prevent skin aging.

In Punjab, to diversify the kinnow cultivation, guava play an important role because it can be grown in plains and sub mountainous regions of all the districts of the state and also grown well in arid and rainfed areas. However, in areas having distinct winter season, the yield tends to increase and quality improves. It requires sufficient care during early stages of growth and can thrive on all types of soils, but are sensitive to water logging. Guava is a hardy fruit crop and is less susceptible to abiotic stresses compared to kinnow and can be grown in poorly drained and alkaline soil.

Recommended Cultivars:

Variety	Characteristics
Punjab Apple Guava	Semi-vigorous trees, fruits round and medium in size, dark red coloured peel having creamy flesh with medium sized seeds. Its average fruit yield is about 100 kg/tree
Punjab Kiran	Semi-vigorous trees, fruits medium in size, round to oblong, pink fleshed and soft seeded, average fruit yield is 100-125 kg/tree
Punjab Safeda	Vigorous trees, fruits medium to large in size, round with smooth creamy-white skin and flesh, average fruit yield is 125-150 kg/ tree.
Shweta	Semi vigorous trees, fruits are sub-globose, smooth with creamy white flesh. Average fruit yield is 150 kg per tree
Punjab Pink	Vigorous trees, The fruit is medium to large in size with attractive golden yellow colour. The average yield of this cultivar is 150-160 kg per tree
Arka Amulya	Dwarf and compact trees, The average yield of rainy and winter seasons crop is 140-150 kg per tree.
Sardar	Dwarf trees, fruit is large, with rough surface due to ribs on shoulders, having creamy white flesh.  Fruit yield may vary from 125 to 150 kg per tree.
Allahabad Safeda	Trees are somewhat dwarf, The fruit is round and smooth with white flesh, fruit yield may vary from 120-140 kg per tree.

Propagation and Time of Planting:  

Guava is commercially propagated by improved patch (retaining 2 buds on a patch) budding. Portugal rootstock of guava is most suitable for Sardar and Allahabad Safeda varieties, as it improves fruit yield and weight. For rootstock raising Guava seeds of cv. Sardar or Portugal are sown on raised seed beds of 2m×1m size in August. The seedlings become ready for transplanting after six months and budding is done when these seedlings attain a diameter of 1.0 to 1.2 cm at about 15 cm height. The best time for patch budding is May and June when it gives 75-80 per cent success. With a spacing of 6m x 6m, guava plants can be planted in February–March or August–September, and with this planting plan, 110 plants can be accommodated in one acre.

Manures and Fertilizers: The requirement of manure and fertilizer varies with varieties, age of trees, fertility status of soil and management practices.

Age of trees (Years)	FYM (Kg/tree)	Urea (Kg)	Super Phosphate (Kg)	Potash (Kg)
1-3	10-20	0.15-0.20	0.5-1.5	0.1-0.4
4-6	25-30	0.30-0.60	1.5-2.0	0.6-1.0
7-9	40-50	0.75-1.00	2.0-2.5	1.0-1.5
Above 10	50	1.0	2.5	1.5

Training and Pruning: Guava is generally trained in modified leader system of training with the main objective to provide them a sturdy and proper framework so that it can bear heavy crop without breaking the limbs.   Dead, diseased, intercrossing branches and suckers coming up from the base and sides of the framework should be removed.

Rejuvenation of Senile Guava Trees:  In the  month of March head back the old unproductive guava trees at 1.5 m from the ground level leaving 2-3 primary scaffolds and apply  Bordeaux  paste on the cut ends.  In August-September, thin out the crowded and prune 50 percent portion of the newly emerged remaining shoots from the top to develop proper frame work of rejuvenated trees. The rejuvenated trees start giving good yield during third year of rejuvenation.

Irrigation: The young guava plants need irrigation at weekly interval during summer months and 2-3 irrigations during winter months.  Bearing trees require, irrigation for flowering and better fruit set at an interval of 2-3 weeks during summer months and at monthly intervals during winter months. Heavy irrigation at peak flowering should be avoided as it may cause excessive flower drop.

Flowering season and Crop Regulation: In north India, flowering occurs twice in a year i.e. during February and June. The February or spring flowering is known as Ambe-bahar. Fruiting can be obtained from this crop during June to September (i.e during a rainy season). The second or monsoon flowering (flowering during June) is called as Mrig-bahar and its crop is available during November to March. Winter season crop is superior in quality than rainy season crop, as rainy crop may get infested with fruit flies. Methods of crop regulation are:

• Spray urea 10 per cent or naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) @ of 600 mg/litre during May, when maximum flowers have opened. Each tree needs about 10-12 litres of solution i.e. about 1000 litres per acre.

• Pruning of terminal portions of the shoots up to 20 or 30 cm between 20th to 30th April avoids the rainy season crop.

• Withhold irrigation during April-May and apply fertilizers during June to encourage growth in July-August for getting maximum flowering during August-September for winter season crop.

Harvesting and Post-Harvest Handling: Guava fruit is climacteric in nature and should be picked when it is mature but firm.  The fruits change their colour from dark green to greenish yellow at maturity.  The fruits should not be allowed to over ripe on the trees as they deteriorate in quality and are more liable to be damaged by birds. Due to highly perishable in nature, fruits should be marketed immediately after harvest. Harvested fruits are cleaned, graded and packed preferably in CFB cartons of sizes ranging from 4-10 kg. The guava fruits when picked at proper maturity can be kept at room temperature for one week in perforated polythene bags and for three weeks in CFB cartons in commercial cold storage at 0-3.3⁰C and RH of 85-90%.

Plant protection:

Fruit flies: Fruit fly is serious pest of guava fruits during monsoon. The fly lays eggs on the surface of fruits. On hatching, the maggots enter into the fruit and in most of the cases fruit drop occurs.

Management:

• Covering of rainy season mature green guava fruit on tree with white non-woven bags at the end of June to middle of July and avoid taking rainy season crop in orchards with history of severe fruit fly infestations.

• Do not allow the ripe fruits on the tree and remove fallen fruits from the ground regularly and bury the infested fruits at least at 60 cm depth.

• Shallow ploughing with cultivator immediately after harvest is effective in exposing and killing the pupating larvae/pupae which are mostly present at 4-6 cm depth.

• Fix PAU fruit fly traps @16 traps/acre in the first week of July and recharge the same if required

Farmyard manure should be applied in May.  Half of the inorganic fertilizers should be applied in May-June and the remaining half in September-October.

Training and Pruning: Guava is generally trained in modified leader system of training with the main objective to provide them a sturdy and proper framework so that it can bear heavy crop without breaking the limbs.   Dead, diseased, intercrossing branches and suckers coming up from the base and sides of the framework should be removed.

Rejuvenation of Senile Guava Trees:  In the  month of March head back the old unproductive guava trees at 1.5 m from the ground level leaving 2-3 primary scaffolds and apply  Bordeaux  paste on the cut ends.  In August-September, thin out the crowded and prune 50 percent portion of the newly emerged remaining shoots from the top to develop proper frame work of rejuvenated trees. The rejuvenated trees start giving good yield during third year of rejuvenation.

Irrigation: The young guava plants need irrigation at weekly interval during summer months and 2-3 irrigations during winter months.  Bearing trees require, irrigation for flowering and better fruit set at an interval of 2-3 weeks during summer months and at monthly intervals during winter months. Heavy irrigation at peak flowering should be avoided as it may cause excessive flower drop.

Flowering season and Crop Regulation: In north India, flowering occurs twice in a year i.e. during February and June. The February or spring flowering is known as Ambe-bahar. Fruiting can be obtained from this crop during June to September (i.e during a rainy season). The second or monsoon flowering (flowering during June) is called as Mrig-bahar and its crop is available during November to March. Winter season crop is superior in quality than rainy season crop, as rainy crop may get infested with fruit flies. Methods of crop regulation are:

• Spray urea 10 per cent or naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) @ of 600 mg/litre during May, when maximum flowers have opened. Each tree needs about 10-12 litres of solution i.e. about 1000 litres per acre.

• Pruning of terminal portions of the shoots up to 20 or 30 cm between 20th to 30th April avoids the rainy season crop.

• Withhold irrigation during April-May and apply fertilizers during June to encourage growth in July-August for getting maximum flowering during August-September for winter season crop.

Harvesting and Post-Harvest Handling: Guava fruit is climacteric in nature and should be picked when it is mature but firm.  The fruits change their colour from dark green to greenish yellow at maturity.  The fruits should not be allowed to over ripe on the trees as they deteriorate in quality and are more liable to be damaged by birds. Due to highly perishable in nature, fruits should be marketed immediately after harvest. Harvested fruits are cleaned, graded and packed preferably in CFB cartons of sizes ranging from 4-10 kg. The guava fruits when picked at proper maturity can be kept at room temperature for one week in perforated polythene bags and for three weeks in CFB cartons in commercial cold storage at 0-3.3⁰C and RH of 85-90%.

Plant protection:

Fruit flies: Fruit fly is serious pest of guava fruits during monsoon. The fly lays eggs on the surface of fruits. On hatching, the maggots enter into the fruit and in most of the cases fruit drop occurs.

Management:

• Covering of rainy season mature green guava fruit on tree with white non-woven bags at the end of June to middle of July and avoid taking rainy season crop in orchards with history of severe fruit fly infestations.

• Do not allow the ripe fruits on the tree and remove fallen fruits from the ground regularly and bury the infested fruits at least at 60 cm depth.

• Shallow ploughing with cultivator immediately after harvest is effective in exposing and killing the pupating larvae/pupae which are mostly present at 4-6 cm depth.

• Fix PAU fruit fly traps @16 traps/acre in the first week of July and recharge the same if required

Fruit Rot/Anthracnose or Die Back: Fully mature fruits are more prone to attack of the fungus. Circular, slightly sunken, brown spots with definite margins appear on the fruits.  Fruits rot completely within 2 to 3 days. The fungus also attacks young trees, twigs and branches during the rainy season resulting in the dieback of the shoot from the distal end.

Management:

• Rain or irrigation water should not be allowed to stand in the basin around the tree. Spray the trees with Bordeaux mixture (2:2::250) or 300 gm Blitox in 100 litres of water after pruning.

• The rotten and mummified fruits which fall on the ground should be buried deep into the soil. Avoid bruising of the fruits.