Guava(Psidium guajava L.); Myrtaceae

Allahabad Safeda, Lucknow 49, Arka Amulya, Arka Mirdula, Banarasi, TRY (G) 1, Arka
Kiran, Lucknow 46, Arka Reshmi, Lalit

Guava grows well both in wet and dry regions but it does better under irrigation in the dry
tracts. It can be grown upto 1000 m altitude. Well drained soils are the best. Tolerates salinity
and alkalinity. In saline soils, add 3 kg gypsum/plant during planting and once in three years
after planting.

Layers and grafts

June – Decembe

5 – 6 m either way.

Plant the layers/grafts with the ball of earth in the center of pit of 45 cm x 45 cm x 45
cm size filled with FYM 10 Kg

Irrigate copiously immediately after planting, again on third day and afterwards once in
10 days or as and when necessary

FYM 50 kg and one kg in each of N, P and K per tree in two split doses during
March and October. To increase the yield, spray Urea 1 % + Zinc sulphate 0.5% twice a year
during March and October. To correct the boron deficiency (reduction in size of leaves and
fruit cracking and hardening), spray 0.3% borax (3 g / l) during flowering and fruit set stages.

Spraying a combination of micro nutrients viz., ZnSO4, MgSO4 and MnSO4 @ 0.5 %
and CuSO4 and FeSO4 @ 0.25% plus Teepol @ 1ml per 5 lit of solution at following growth
stages:
1. During new flush
2. One month after first spray
3. During flowering
4. During fruit set

Legumes and short duration vegetable crops may be raised during pre-bearing stage

Pruning of past season‘s terminal growth to a length of 10-15 cm is to be done during
September – October and February – March to encourage more laterals. The erect growing
branches are to be bent by tying on to pegs driven on the ground. Old unproductive but healthy
trees may be either pollarded or cut the trunks at 75 cm from ground level or dehorned by cutting
the secondary branches at a distance of 75 cm from their origin.

There are three distinct flowering seasons with corresponding harvesting periods-rainy,
winter and spring. It is desirable to take only one crop in a year.
 In South India the rainy season crop is preferred even though it is of poor quality, since the
price is high at this time.
 Guava is a current season bearer. Inducing flowering or bahar treatment in guava includes
management practices like withholding of water, irrigation, fertilization and use of growth
regulators in association with pruning technique.
Bahar Months
Water stress Flowering Fruiting
Ambe bahar
(February)
December-January February-March July-August
Hasta bahar(October) August-September October-November March-April
Mrig bahar (June) 3rd week of April June-July November –
December
(Sour

Pests
Tea Mosquito Bug    Spray malathion 50 EC 2ml/l. or neem oil 3 %.
                                     Spraying should be done in early mornings or late evenings, at least
                                        four times at 21 days interval during fruiting season
Aphid                           Spray dimethoate 30EC 2ml/l
Mealy bug                  Release Cryptolaemous predatory beetles @10/tree
Fruit fly                       Collect and destroy fallen fruits.
                                      Set up methyl eugenol 0.1% solution mixed with malathion 50 EC @ 1
                                   ml/lit between 6 a.m. and 8a.m.
                                     Install methyl eugenol trap @ 4/acre
                                     Neem oil 3%

Red rust
 Spray copper oxy chloride @ 2.5 g/l or 0.5 % Bordeaux mixture or wettable sulphur @ 2
g/l

 Spray mancozeb 75% WP @ 2 g/l or zineb 75% WP @ 2 g/l or metiram 55% +
pyraclostrobin 5% WG @ 3 g/l

The propagating materials such as ground layers, grafts, rootstocks used for grafting,
clones and rooted cuttings infested with root knot nematode, M.enterolobii in guava act as
sources for dissemination into main field. Use of air layers and sterilized soil media or adopting
soil less media (vermiculite and coir pith) can keep the nematodes from entering the root
system at nursery stage. Intercropping with marigold around the basin of the tree.Apply
Purpureocillium lilacinum @ 60 g mixed with FYM 5 kg and neem cake @250 g per tree once
in three months.

Grafts/ layers come to bearing within 2-3 years after planting
First crop : February – July.
Second crop : September – January.

25 t / ha.

Growing Districts:    Dindigul, Madurai, Virudhunagar,Villupuram, Vellore,Tirunelveli

Major Markets in Tamil Nadu:      Palani, Madurai, Koyambedu, wholesale market, Chennai

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