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GUAVA
(Psidium guajava)
Guava
thrives well in places receiving medium rainfall not
exceeding 100 cm. In heavy rainfall areas, plants grow
luxuriantly, but the quality of the fruits is found
to be very poor and insipid. It grows well on any type
of soil. Red sandy loam soil with good drainage is most
ideal for commercial cultivation of guava.
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Planting
material
Seed propagation is not practised because of high degree
of variation among the progenies. Air layering is widely
adopted for propagation of selected varieties. Layers
strike roots within 3-5 weeks. When the roots grow through
the ball of moss, the stem may be severed below the
girdled area in stages. The polythene film is removed
from the finally severed rooted stem, which is then
potted and kept in the shade until new leaves appear.
When the new flushes are produced, the plant can be
hardened in full sunlight preparatory to transplanting
in the field.
Allahabad
Safeda, Sardar (Lucknow-49), Red Fleshed, Apple Coloured
and Pear Shaped
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Planting
Pits of one metre cube are made 6 m apart. Fill the
pits with topsoil, sand and cowdung. Layers are planted
in the centre of the pit. Staking of plants is also
done, if necessary. After planting, mulching with
dry leaves should be done to conserve moisture. June-July
is the ideal time for planting the layers and seedlings.
Plants should be irrigated in summer. Square system
of planting facilitates easy orchard operations. Guava
can be grown as an intercrop in coconut gardens.
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Manuring
A fully grown-up bearing plant should be manured with
about 80 kg of FYM, 200 g N, 80 g P2O5 and 260 g K2O.
These may be applied in two or three split doses when
there is sufficient moisture in the soil.
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Fruit
fly
This is a serious pest of guava. The insect affects
the fruit when it matures. The infested fruits show
depression with dark green punctures. As a precautionary
measure, the crop should be sprayed just before fruit
maturity with carbaryl (0.1%) or dimethoate (0.1%).
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Fruit
rot disease
This is a serious disease of guava especially during
rainy seasons. The symptoms are manifested as development
of dark brown circular spots at the blossom end of the
immature green fruits. Application of zineb (0.2%) or
aureofungin (10 ppm) as monthly sprays during June to
October can control the disease.
Guava
wilt
In affected trees, the branches wither and die one after
another and in a few weeks or months the tree, which
seemed entirely healthy will be dead. It is better to
remove such trees as soon as the symptoms are identified
to prevent the spread of the disease.
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Yield
Guava starts bearing from 3-4 years after planting.
About 500-800 fruits per year can be obtained from a
10 year old tree.
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