Guava is an important fruit of tropical and subtropical area of the world. It is commonly called poor man’s fruit. Guava is commonly called “Amrud” in the national language of India, Hindi.Guava contains maximum vitamin C content per l00g. of pulp after amla. It contains antioxidant factors and can control systolic blood pressure. It is good source of roughage and help in removal of constipation. In India it is cultivated almost throughout except higher hills.
It gives two crops in a year. That is why it is being preferred for plating in soils where citrus cannot be grown. Two main cultivars which originated in Allahabad and Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh occupies most of the area under guava. Guava has become an important fruit crop of Punjab and its area ranks second after citrus. It grows well throughout the states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
Guava Varieties
Some of the popular varieties include:
•Lucknow 49
(the most popular variety, also called ‘Sardar’ guava)
•Allahabad Safeda
•Apple color
•Pear Shaped
•Behat Coconut
•Safeda Jam
(hybrid: Allahabad Safeda X Kohir)
•Kohir Safeda
(hybrid: Kohir X Allahabad Safeda)
•Arka Mridula (soft-seeded)
•Arka Amulya (soft-seeded)
•Banarasi
•Chittidar
•Baruipur Local
Climate Required:
Guava farming is possible in both subtropical and tropical climes. It can reach a maximum height of 5000 feet (1500 metres) above sea level.
Guava blossoms best in the months of June to September, when the annual rainfall is less than 1000 mm.
Because young plants are more susceptible to cold and dry environments, they require more care.
Soil Required:
Guava is a hardy plant that thrives in a variety of soil conditions. It thrives on heavy soils that are well-drained. It is, nevertheless, susceptible to water logging. Because guava is surface-rooted, the best soil is well-drained, deep friable soil with rich topsoil.
The soil should have a fertile surface. Its pH ranges from 4.5 to 8.2. Guavas cannot be grown on alkaline or saline soils.
Mode of Propagation:
•Seed
•Grafting
•Budding
•Cutting
•Air layering
•Stooling
For commercial guava growing, air layering has proven to be the most successful method of propagation.
Stooling , or mound piling on nursery beds, is the most cost-effective
method of rapid multiplication.
Irrigation Requirement:
The guava tree does not require much watering. Guava plants in their early stages require 8-10 irrigations per year.
Dry locations and light soils may require hand watering during the summer. Between May and July, full-grown and fruit-bearing trees require weekly watering.
Fruit drop is reduced and fruit size is increased with winter watering. The guava crop benefits greatly from drip irrigation. It saves up to 60% of water and increases the number and size of fruits significantly.
To keep moisture in the soil following pre-monsoon showers, make saucer-shaped, half-moon, or V-shaped basins.
Fertilizers:
Inorganic fertilizers and organic manure are quite beneficial for guava cultivation. Every year, give your plants 100 gram of nitrogen, 40 gram of phosphorus, and 40 gram of potassium. In the sixth year, you should be able to maintain your current level of stability. In August and January, divide them into two equal portions.
Spray the trees with 0.34 kg slaked lime and 0.45 kg ZnSO4 (Zinc Sulfate) dissolved in 16 gallons (72.74 l) water if the trees are deficient in zinc. Determine how many sprays to use based on the degree of the deficit.
Apply pre-flowering sprays of 0.3 percent ZnSO4 and 0.4 percent Boric Acid to your guava crop to boost fruit size and yield.
Fertilizers:
Inorganic fertilizers and organic manure are quite beneficial for guava cultivation. Every year, give your plants 100 gram of nitrogen, 40 gram of phosphorus, and 40 gram of potassium. In the sixth year, you should be able to maintain your current level of stability. In August and January, divide them into two equal portions.
Spray the trees with 0.34 kg slaked lime and 0.45 kg ZnSO4 (Zinc Sulfate) dissolved in 16 gallons (72.74 l) water if the trees are deficient in zinc. Determine how many sprays to use based on the degree of the deficit.
Apply pre-flowering sprays of 0.3 percent ZnSO4 and 0.4 percent Boric Acid to your guava crop to boost fruit size and yield.
Inter cropping:
Intercropping can be done with a combo of vegetables, legumes, and
plantation crops. Cabbage, cucumber, cauliflower, pineapple, papaya,
beans, cowpea, and peas are good choices.
Zinc and Iron Deficiency:
The leaves show yellowing and chlorosis in between the veins. It will be
beneficial if one or two foliage sprays are given. Spray the trees with
2 gm/L of water mixture of Zinc Sulphate, and Ferrous Sulphate in July
and again in September. If this spray is regularly given the plants
remain healthy and bear good crops.
Training & Pruning:
Fruit quality and yield are improved by training. The main goal of training is to provide a productive foundation for the tree, with robust branches capable of bearing a high-yielding crop.
Shoots that are 30 cm or less from the ground are chopped off. Allow the centre to be clear. Allow for the growth of four scaffold branches. Maintain a wide enough angle between the stem and the branches to allow sufficient sunshine to reach the centre.
Light pruning is done once a year to keep the tree’s framework in good
shape and encourage the emergence of new branches. In order to get only winter season crop following method should be adopted with the connivance of the contractor:
1. Spray urea 10 percent or naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) @ 600 ppm at full-bloom (May). Dissolve 120 g of NAA in 300-400 ml of absolute alcohol, slowly pore this solution into Drum containing sufficient water make the volume to 200 litres. Prepare more solution as per the requirement of the area to be sprayed.
2. OR Prune 20-30 cm of the apical portion of shoots during last week of April. This will avoid rainy season crop completely.
3. Follow the recommended fertilization schedule and with hold irrigation during April-May.
If the orchard is in frost prone area, then one may not opt for only winter crop. It has been seen that total winter crop can be lost due to frost injury during December-January.
Harvesting:
Guava fruits should be picked as soon as they mature. The fruit is ready for harvest when its dark green color changes to light and shows yellowish green patches.
Hand picking is recommended.
Seedling trees take 4-5 years to reach the bearing stage, while layered, budded, and grafted trees take 2-3 years to bear.
Yield:
• Grafted trees can yield up to 350 kg per tree, whereas seedling plants can yield up to 90 kg.
• In ideal conditions, a 3-year-old Lucknow 49 tree may produce somewhere between 55 and 60 kilograms.
• Yield varies by variety, cultivation tactics, location, and orchard management.
• Guava leaves can be used to treat toothaches, mouth ulcers, and inflamed gums at home.
• Guava contains pyridoxine (Vitamin B6) and niacin (Vitamin B9), which aid to increase mental capacity. It increases flow of blood in brain and improves cognitive performance.
• Guava is an anti-aging fruit. It improves the appearance of the skin. It has astringent properties.
• Guava is a stress buster thanks to its magnesium content. So, if you have had a hard day at the office, eat a guava and relax! (You can also read about 10 fruits that contain more vitamin C)