Guava Production Practices (Month Wise) Guide

Guava Production (Month Wise) Guide:

The following content details about month wise Guava Production practices followed in Guava orchard.

Introduction to Guava Production:- Guava is one of the wonderful fruits grown through the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. It is gaining very good popularity due to its nutritional facts and health benefits. Guava belongs to the family of “Mytaceae” and originated from tropical America and spread across the globe. When it comes to Guava tree characteristics, it is an ever green tropical tree can reach up to 20 to 30 feet. This tree stem is thick and grows into multiple branches. The Guava flowers have large stalks with 1 to 2 cm length with white petals. The guava flowers are usually pollinated by bees. Generally Guava trees can be productive for initial 15 years though they survive for 30 to 40 years.  One can expect excellent commercial production of guava fruit with high density plantation of guava. Most of the Indian households grow the guava tree in their backyard. There are many dwarf varieties of guava fruit those can be grown in pots/containers as well. Now a days we are also seeing seedless guava fruits with high yielding capacity. Allahabad safeda and Taiwan Guava fruits are excellent varieties grown in India. After Guava plantation, there are some standard tasks need to be performed every month in the orchard. These month wise tasks in Guava plantation are discussed below.

Red Guava Fruit.
Red Guava Fruit.

Guava Production Practices – Major Guava Production States in India:- The following are major Guava production states in India.

  • Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
  • Assam
  • Bihar
  • Chandigarh
  • Chhattisgarh
  • Gujarat
  • Haryana
  • Himachal Pradesh
  • Jammu & Kashmir
  • Jharkhand
  • Karnataka
  • Madhya Pradesh
  • Maharashtra
  • Nagaland
  • Orrisa
  • Pondicherry
  • Punjab
  • Rajasthan
  • Sikkim
  • Tamil Nadu
  • Tripura
  • Uttar Pradesh
  • West Bengal

Guava in Indian Languages:- Amrud (Hindi), Payara (Bengali), Jamapandu (Telugu), Jam Phal / Jamrukh (Gujarati), Peron/ Paer (Konkan), Pyarilhannu / Seebe (Kannada), Perakka (Malayalam), Koyyapazham (Tamil), Peroo (Marathi), Modhuriam (Assamese), Amrud (Punjabi), Pijuli (Oriya), Amroud (Urdu) and Perangai (Tulu).

 

Allahabad Safeda Variety.
Allahabad Safeda Variety.

Month Wise Cultivation Practices of Guava Orchard:

  • Guava Production Practices – In the month of April:
    1. In this month, you need to check for soil suitability. This has to be done before planting starts in rainy season. For this purpose, you should dig the pits size of 3 feet x 3 feet x 3 feet. These pits are called profile pits.
    2. If you find any lime nodules or sheet rock, they are not suitable for guava plantation and avoid such type soils.
    3. If there is any possibility of water stagnation/ water logging in the soils, those ill-drained soils should be avoided.
    4. As part of the soil test, you must collect the sample soil for every 1 feet of profile pit.
    5. Once soil is tested, based on test results, you should decide whether the soil is suitable for guava plantation.
    6. Guava trees can be planted in the soils even with up to pH value up to 8.1
  • Guava Production Practices – In the month of May:
  1. In this month, you should prepare a layout for pit digging
  2. Give couple of ploughings by Using MB plough to clear off the weeds and level the land.
  3. Proper alignment and peg-marking should be done for pit digging with 18 feet (6 meter) distance between plants and rows.
  4. General pits size followed in guava plantation is 60 cm x 60 cm x 60 cm. This pit size may change for high density (HD) guava plantation.
  5. Make sure to keep the dugout top soil with a depth of 1 ½ feet to the right side of the pit. Dug out bottom soil with a depth of 1 ½ feet should be kept to the left side of the pit.
  6. In order to control the soil borne pests and diseases such as termites, you must allow the pits to dry out in sun at least for 2 to 3 weeks before filling the pits.
  7. Quality planting material should be procured from certified and popular nurseries. You can find out this information from your local horticulture department.
  8. It is better to select high yielding commercial guava varieties such as ‘Allahabad Safeda’ or ‘Lucknow-49 (this is also called as “Sardar Guava”), and other hybrid guava types like “Safed–jam” or “Kohir Safeda”.
  • Guava Production Practices – In the month of June:
  1. In this month, start filling pits with top soil mixed with 15 kg of well-decomposed farm yard manure like cow dung (FMY) plus 1 kg of ‘Single Super Phosphate’ plus 1 kg of ‘Neem Cake’ & 100 grams of 10% Follidol dust/ pit.
  2. Pits should be filled with the soil at least 6 to 7 inches from the ground level. This makes the soil to settle down at ground level at the time of planting.
  3. You guava orchard should be protected from cattle or goats or other predators. To achieve this, fencing should be done around the orchard.
  4. Drip irrigation is the best method of watering guava plants, so marking out trench cuttings for installing the drip system is required.
  5. Farmers can earn extra income by cultivation some intercrops during initial years. In this case, inter-crops should be sown as soon as monsoon season starts.
  • Guava Production Practices – In the month of July:
  • Guava Seedlings in Nursery.
    Guava Seedlings in Nursery.
  1. Once the guava planting material is procured from nurseries, make an arrangement to transport the seedlings to the main filed.
  2. Make sure to place the planting material near the water source. The guava seedlings/saplings should be watered regularly until the transplanting is done in the main field.
  3. In case of delay in rains, soak the dugout pits with water. This can be done by drip irrigation. At this point in time, make sure the soil in the pits is at ground level.
  4. Planting care should be taken without disturbing the area around the root system by placing the guava seedlings at the centre of the pits.
  5. Make sure to water the planting after transplanting in the pits for settling down the root system with the soil.
  6. When it comes to watering frequency, you should carry out irrigation at 3 to 4 days interval during first 4 weeks and later at an interval of 6 to 9 days depending on the soil moisture. Make sure to maintain soil moisture especially during hot summer and dry periods. According you can provide the water through drip system.
  • Guava Production Practices – In the month of August:
  1. Weed free plantation will result in healthy plant growth and quality produce along with higher yield of the crop. In guava orchard, weeding should be carried out at least once in a month during rainy season, you can remove weeds by hand and giving shallow ploughing in between rows.
  2. Keep the plant basins clean and remove any weeds around the basin. For controlling weeds at the plant basin, and to retain the water evaporation from the plant basin, use mulch material like paddy husk or paddy straw or ground nut shells. This can also control weeds and soil erosion. If you use natural mulch material, they can be worked out like organic compost after decomposition at the plant base.
  3. Make sure to remove the side shoots of the plant from the base up to the height of 70 cm from the ground level for better tree framework.
  4. You must arrange the drainage channels to drain out any water during the heavy rains. These plants are sensitive to water logging and may result in wilting of the plant and yellowing of leaves.
  • Guava Production Practices – In the month of September:
  1. If any Zinc and Magnesium deficiencies are noticed on the orchard, these micro-nutrients should be supplemented by the application of spraying 2 grams of ‘Zinc Sulphate ‘ plus 2 grams of ‘Magnesium Sulphate’ plus 5 grams of Lime in 1 litre of water at 2 weeks interval.
  2. To improve the soil air circulation (aeration), soil should be worked out at the plant basin.
  • Guava Production Practices – In the month of October:
  1. Any Gap filling should be done in the month of October. Replace with new plants in place of any dead plants.
  2. Tree pruning should be carried out on the side shoots at the height of 60 to 70 cm from the ground level. Any growing shoots should be cut to allow lateral branches growth in the east and west direction in order to expose for sunlight.
  3. If the farmers did not sow any inter-crops as we mentioned in the month of June, they can sow in this month for Rabi season crop.
Growing Guava Tree in Pot - Container.
Growing Guava Tree in Pot – Container.
  • Guava Production Practices – In the month of November: In this months the following tasks should be done in guava fruit orchard.
  1. Mulch the plant basins and workout the soil at the plant basin.
  2. Lower branches should be pruned up to the height of 60 to 70 cm for better framework.
  3. Growing shoots should be cut to encourage the lateral branches in the East-West direction sunlight exposure.
  4. Irrigating the guava plants at the interval of 7 to 9 days is preferred.
  5. For control of any weeds, mulching should be done as mentioned previously.
  6. White fly pest incidence on the matured leaves may result in curling and reddening of leaves, to control this, spray 5 ml of Neem oil in 1 litre of water.
  • Guava Production Practices – In the month of December:
  1. Make sure to water the plants at 7 to 9 days interval.
  2. In this month, reddening of plant leaves may be noticed due to phosphorous deficiency. This condition may occur due to low soil temperatures in winter months. This deficiency can be corrected by spraying 0.5 % of DAP solution and frequent watering of the plant basins.
  • Guava Production Practices – In the month of January:
  1. Again in this month, weed control and mulching should be done to retain the water moisture at plant base.
  2. To improve soil aeration and control weeds, soil working should be done at the plant base.
  3. Mulch Materials like paddy husk or paddy, straw or ground nut shells can be used at the plant base.
  • Guava Production Practices – In the month of February:
  1. In this month, water the plants at 5 to 6 days interval regularly.
  2. It is common to notice the stem and shoot borer pests during this month.
  3. You must check each and every plant regularly or at least periodically by going round the guava field.
  4. If any damage is noticed due these pests, you can prevent them by pulling out the borers from the holes and inject petrol or kerosene into the damaged holes and plug the holes with mud.
  5. It may be possible of white Fly incidence in this month. You can trap the white flies by keeping metal boxes applied with any sticky material like grease.
  • Guava Production Practices – In the month of March:
  1. In this month, Application of fertilizers should be carried out at least 6 inches away from the plant. Watering the pits should be done immediately after the application of required fertilizers.
  2. You may apply the enough mulch material like paddy husk, dry leaves and to control the moisture loss and weed growth in basins.
  • Guava Production Practices – April Month:
  1. After 1 year of plantation, in this month, make sure to carry out regular watering of plants through drip irrigation system. If the basin flood irrigation is followed, irrigate the plants with this method at least once in 6 to 7 days.
  2. If you notice and tender shoots are infected with mealy bugs or white flies, you can control them by spraying Acephate 1 gram / 1 litre of water.

Note: For any diseases and pests in Guava Cultivation, it is recommended to contact local department of horticulture for symptoms and control measures.

  • Guava Production Practices – May Month:
  1. Due to hot climate, maintain constant soil moisture at plant basins to avoid any water stress during this hot month. This can be achieved by regular irrigation through drip or at least once in 5 to 6 days through basin irrigation.
  2. Carry out summer ploughing between the plant rows to improve soil fertility.

For Complete Guava Fruit Cultivation: Read Here.

For Other Fruits Cultivation: Read Here.

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