Botanical Name/Scientific Name: Psidium guajava
Family of Guava: Myrtaceae
- Guavas are large shrubs.
- Flowers of guava are epigynous.
- Guava is known as Apple of Tropics.
- Guava is rich in ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) and Pectin.
Cultivars/Varieties of Guava:
Lucknow – 49 (L-49), Allahabad Safeda, Benarasi, Red Fleshed, Behat Coconut, Baruipur.
Hybrids of Guava: Safed Jam(Allahabad Safeda X Kohir), Kohir Safeda(Kohir X Allahabad Safeda), Hissar Safeda(Allahabad Safeda X Seedless)
Soil Requirement for Guava Cultivation:
The best soils are deep, friable, well drained. However, guava trees are very hardy and can thrive on all types of soil from alluvial to laterite. Well drained heavier soils are also suitable. The optimum Ph ranges between 5.5 and 7.0. Guava can tolerate salinity. Top soil should be rich in nutrients as maximum concentration of feeding root lies between 0 to 20 cm soil depths.
Climate Requirement for Guava Cultivation:
Guava is successfully grown under tropical and sub-tropical conditions. In areas having distinct winter, the yield tends to increase and quality improves. Although guava can tolerate some cold, but exposure to freezing temperature may cause shoot die back. The optimum temperature for guava production lies between 23°C to 28°C. High temperature during summer months coupled with low humidity reduces fruit set and increase fruit drop.
Propagation of Guava:
Guava is commercially propagated through air-layering. It can also be propagated by cutting (semi-hard wood cutting and soft-wood cutting) with IBA treatment under mist, stooling, grafting particularly inarching and veneer grafting and budding (patch budding and forkert budding).
Fertilizer Requirement of Guava:
A full bearing guava tree should be fertilized with 260 gm Nitrogen, 320 gm Phosphate and 260 gm Potassium per year. Half the recommended dose should be applied in the month of January and the remaining half in the month of June-July.
Flowering of Guava:
Guava flowers thrice a year – in January-February, April-May and September-October. Guava bears solitary flower or in cymes of 2 to 3 flowers on the current season’s growth in the axil of leaves.
Pests of Guava:
- Oriental fruit fly – The scientific name of oriental fruit fly is Bactrocera dorsalis, previously known as Dacus dorsalis. The adult insects lay eggs under the skin of fruits during monsoon. On hatching maggots feed on pulp resulting into brown patches and affected fruits in most cases drop down.
Control of Oriental Fruit Fly – Affected fruits should be destroyed. Periodic spray with Malathion (0.1%) or Dimecron (0.1%) minimize the pest attack.
- Bark Eating Caterpillar – The scientific name of bark eating caterpillar is Indarbela sp. It is the most common insect in tropical region. The larva on hatching feed on bark and bore into woods. Affected branches sometimes die due to disturbance in sap movement.
Control of Bark Eating Caterpillar – Injection of 5ml kerosene oil into hole and sealing it cotton, wool or mud gives good control.
Diseases of Guava:
- Guava Wilt – This is the most important disease of guava. Actual cause of the disease is yet to be discovered. The pathogens viz. Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium solani, Rhizoctonia bataticola may incite the disease. It is characterised by yellowing of leaves followed by drying of leaves and twigs from the tip followed by complete wilting within 10 to 15 days.
Control of Guava Wilt – Soil should be drenched with Brassicol and plants should be sprayed with Bavistin. The wilted plants should be uprooted and pits should be disinfected by burning dry leaves.