How to Start Hybrid Guava Farming in India: Varieties, Business Plan, and Cultivation Management

Guava is an incredibly delicious and interesting fruit for consumers worldwide. Common Guavas have quadrangular branchlets, oval to oblong leaves about 7.6 cm (3 inches) long, and four-petaled white flowers about 2.5 cm in diameter. Its fruits measure up to 7.6 cm in diameter and contain many small hard seeds (more abundant in wild forms than in cultivated varieties). Depending on the type of fruit, the skin will be yellow, and the flesh will be white, yellow, or pink.

How to Start Hybrid Guava Farming in India
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Vitamin C and pectin are two of the most important nutrients in this fruit. Additionally, it contains calcium and phosphorus. In addition, in respect of productivity, it earns good revenue. Besides its high nutritional value, it yielded a heavy crop every year. In addition, it gives handsome economic returns involving very little input. That is why farmers are getting more interested in commercial Guava farming. It is the fourth most important crop after Mango, Banana, and Citrus. It can be grown all over India.

How to start hybrid Guava Farming in India

Hybrid Guava varieties grown in India

Arka Amulya
  • The cross between Allahabad Safeda and Triploid produced it.
  • It has a medium vigor and is a spreading type of plant.
  • It is a round fruit with smooth, yellow skin and a round shape.
  • Generally, the fruit’s flesh is white and firm, weighing 180 to 200 grams on average. The TSS (total soluble solids) of the seeds is around 12° Brix, they are soft, and the weight of 100 seeds is 1.80 grams.
  • Keeping quality is good.
  • It yields an average of 10 tonnes per acre and 144 kilograms per tree.
Allahabad Safeda 
  • The most famous of all the available Guava varieties is the Allahabad Safeda, whose trees bear many fruits. The crown of the Allahabad Safeda Guava tree is expansive and compact, mostly dome-shaped.
  • The Guavas of this variety are round in shape and not very large. The fruit’s skin is mild, and the flesh is white with few seeds.
  • The smoothness of the skin and lesser seeds make this a widely loved variety. It is used for both serving on the table and processing purposes.
  • The yield is nearly 13.69 kg/tree, and the fruit weighs 180-200 grams in medium size. It has few seeds inside and has high popularity in Uttar Pradesh for Guava plantations. The expected yield is 10 tons per acre and has greater stability.
Arka Kiran
  • It is a pink pulp variety with an average fruit weight of 200 to 220 grams and medium soft seeds (9 kg/cm2). 
  • This fruit has a total soluble solids (TSS) content of 11-12° Brix and a lycopene content of 7.14 mg/100g, respectively.
  • The crop will come to harvest after two years of planting. 
  • An average fruit yield of 20 tons per acre is reached after five years in a spacing of 4m x 3m.
Arka Mridula
  • The plants of this Guava variety are semi-vigorous and spreading.
  • Fruits are round in shape. The skin is yellow in color and smooth. The flesh is white, and the fruits are soft-seeded. Hence, it is one of the best Guava varieties for jelly making.
  • It is a selection from open-pollinated seedlings of Allahabad Safeda.
  • This Guava fruit is round-shaped, weighs nearly 180 grams, and has a yield potential of 10 tons per acre.

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Guava Farming
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Shwetha
  • The tree produces medium size spherical fruits, which have velvety white skin with red spots and nearly-white flesh.
  • Fruits are round, weighing 225 grams, and have white pulp with good keeping quality.
  •  Fruits are appealing and highly nutritious, with an average yield of 151 kg per tree.
Arka Rashmi
  • It is a hybrid from the combination Kamsari x Purple Local. 
  • Fruits weigh about 200 grams and are round. The pulp is a deep pink with high ascorbic acid and lycopene content. 
  • The seeds are medium soft (8-10 kg/ cm2 hardness) with a TSS of 11-12°Brix.
  • It takes five years for economic yield to begin with an average yield of 16 tonnes per acre.
L-49 (Lucknow-49) 
  • It is a prolific bearer, greenish-yellow with milky white sweet pulp and rough surface. 
  • It has a fairly thick shell and contains a few soft seeds in the inner portion of the pulp located in the core. The number of seeds is less, and keeping quality is medium, so it is very popular in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh as it is very economical.
  • It is suitable for table purposes
  • This hybrid variety has a yield potential of 10 tons per acre.
Allahabad surkha
  • A popular Guava variety in India is Allahabad Surkha. It has pulpy pink flesh and a remarkable variety of enormous sizes and pink colors.
  • The trees are lively, dome-shaped, and compact. With a few seeds, the organic product is undoubtedly enhanced.
  • This variety has an estimated yield potential of 12 tons per acre; each fruit weighs approximately 330-350 grams.
Lalit
  • It is a high-yielding pink-fleshed Guava assortment delivered by the Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture, Lucknow, for business development in Guava-developing zones of the nation. 
  • Fruits are of saffron yellow shading with a red tinge.
  • It is reasonable for both table-serving and processing purposes. In addition, the jam produced using this assortment has a better flavor and appealing appearance. 
  • The yield is 100 kg per tree.
Safed Jam
  • This Guava variety is a cross of Allahabad safeda and Kohir. 
  • The fruit shape is usually round, and the fruit pulp is thin with good taste. Seeds are soft and located at the core. 
  • It is estimated that there is a potential yield of 10 tons per acre. As far as TSS is concerned, it ranges between 10 and 12%. 
  • Each tree yields 130 to 155 kilograms on average. Vitamin C is present in the pulp at 130 mg per 100 grams.

Hybrid Guava producing states

Guava is a common but important commercial fruit crop in India. It is native to Central America. However, it can grow in tropical and subtropical areas. It is the fourth most important crop after Mango, Banana, and Citrus. It can be grown all over India. The state of Uttar Pradesh is the most important producer of guavas. 

The quality of guavas produced in Allahabad is well-known throughout the world. Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Orissa, WB, AP, and Tamilnadu are the major states growing Guava. Also, it can be successfully grown throughout Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. 

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Guava Plants
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Soil preparation for Hybrid Guava

  • As a first step, deep plowing, cross plowing, harrowing, and soil leveling are required.
  • Before the arrival of the monsoon, you should dig a hole with a side of 0.6 meters and a depth of 0.6 meters.
  • For them to breathe, give them 15-20 days.
  • Fill them with soil containing 500 grams of superphosphate and 20 kilograms of organic manure.
  • To fertilize and prevent termite invasion, fill each hole with 25 kilograms of farmyard manure, 500 grams of SSP, 15 kilograms of Neem cake, and 50 grams of Lindane powder.
  • When the soil is poor, larger pits must be dug (1 m x 1 m x 1 m). It is also necessary to add more organic manure.
  • Sowing should take place between August and September for best results. However, planting is also done in February and March. Keep the sowing depth between 25 and 30 cm.
  • Plant as soon as the monsoon arrives.

Spacing in Hybrid Guava plantation

  • Guava species, soil fertility, and water facilities should be considered when determining the planting distance of 5-8 meters.
  • The best way to maximize yield potential is by spacing plants 6 m x 6 m with 112 plants per acre.

Guava crop care

Soil required for good growth of Guava

There are many soil conditions in which Guava can grow. Heavy, well-drained soil is ideal for growing it. For saline soils, add 3 kg of Gypsum per plant during planting and once three years after planting. A pH between 6.5 and 7.5 is ideal, as well as deep, friable, and well-drained soil. However, it is susceptible to waterlogging. Due to its surface roots, Guava grows best in well-drained, deep friable soil with rich topsoil.

Climate conditions for Guava farming

Guava is successfully grown in tropical and subtropical climates. The quality of the fruits is better in areas having distinct winters; therefore, Guava grown near Allahabad is famous for the best quality fruits. Although Guava tolerates drought, protective irrigation facilities are required. It grows best with an annual rainfall of around 1000 mm, restricted between June and September

Irrigation for Hybrid Guava farming

Watering frequency and amount should be determined by the type of soil, prevailing climatic conditions, especially rainfall, and the distribution and age of trees. There is no need for irrigation during the monsoon months unless there is a long drought. The plants should be watered even at 2-3 day intervals in the dry season during the first year when they are very young with the shallow root system.

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Guava Harvesting
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Trees aged 2-5 years should be irrigated every 4-5 days. For plants 5-8 years old, irrigation intervals could be increased to 10-15 days during the dry season. After the fruit set, 2-3 irrigations are usually given to trees in the full-bearing stage to increase fruit size, quality, and quantity.

Fertilizers in Hybrid Guava farming

Guava cultivation benefits greatly from organic manure and inorganic fertilizers. Each year, give your plants 100 grams of nitrogen, 40 grams of phosphorus, and 40 grams of potassium. You should be able to maintain your current level of stability in the sixth year. Afterward, divide them into two equal portions in August and January.

If the trees lack zinc, spray them with 0.34 kg slaked lime and 0.45 kg ZnSO4 (Zinc Sulfate) dissolved in 75 liters of water. Depending on how severe the deficit is, determine how many sprays you should use. The last step is applying pre-flowering ZnSO4, and Boric Acid sprays to your Guava crop to increase their yield and size.

Pruning and Training

It is essential to prune and train Guava plants carefully to produce plants with robust frameworks that can yield higher yields. The practice of pruning should be practiced regularly to remove dead, diseased, and infected branches. To prevent sunburn on budding plants, don’t prune them during the summer. Guava trees must be trimmed between November and December during winter and between March and April during spring. 

While pruning the Guava tree, make sure you cut the lateral branches at an angle so that water doesn’t stand on them and cause damage to the branches. After completing pruning for the Guava tree, ensure you fertilize the Guava tree with organic cattle compost, and we can expect a Guava harvest in the next five months. Prune your Guava tree every six months to maintain its symmetry and remove excessive growth.

Weed control

Weeds are considered a major obstacle in agricultural production systems, particularly fruit crops. Guava orchards suffer more from weeds as most of the plant’s nutrient-absorbing roots are close to the ground surface, and in the presence of weeds, these roots cannot absorb proper nutrients as weeds compete for the nutrients. Moreover, weeds also act as hosts for different insect pests and diseases. 

Therefore, it is important to keep the guava orchard, especially the canopy area, free from weeds so that the fertilizers added to the soil are readily available to the plants. To check weed growth, apply Gramoxone 6ml/liter of water in March, July, and September. Apply Glyphosate at 1.6Ltr/acre post-emergence when weed growth is active (before weeds flower and attain a height of 15-20cm). 200Ltr of water is sufficient to spray one-acre land.

Propagation of Guava Plant

Air layering

Guava plants have been propagated by air layering or stooling, the easiest and most affordable way. Vegetative propagation is most productive when plants produce fruits that are high quality and pass on the characteristics of the mother plant to new plants—select branches with a pencil diameter that are not near any joining points. The branch skin measuring two inches in length should be peeled off. A rooting substance should be applied to the peeled area. Wrap it with polythene after applying moist moss. It is important to keep both ends open. Roots will grow from the cutting branch after 20-25 days. The best time to layer is between July and September.

Seed propagation
  • Guava propagated from seeds takes about three weeks to germinate.
  • It is recommended to use freshly extracted seeds from fully matured fruits.
  • You can raise seedlings in a nursery or polyethylene bags.
  • The viability of seeds decreases after they are extracted from fruits.
  • Considering their hard coats, seeds should be soaked in boiling water for two weeks before sowing or treated with strong sulphuric acid for five minutes, facilitating their germination.
  • The seedling Guava trees differ greatly from their mother plants, so it is not desirable to raise them from seed

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Guava Cultivation
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Common pests and their control in Hybrid Guava farming

PestDamage symptomsChemical control



Fruit fly

1. Damage causes rotting due to microbial decay of the flesh.

2. Tiny punctures that leak juice from the surface indicate the infestation.
1. Bait spray combining molasses or jaggery 10 grams per liter and one of the insecticides,Malathion 50 EC 2 ml/lDimethoate 30 EC 1ml/l

2. Spray Quinalphos 25 EC or Malathion 50 EC at 1 ml/lit four times at 15 days intervals. 



Mealybugs
1. Nymphs and adults suck sap, resulting in the crinkling and yellowing of leaves and fruit rotting.

2. Mealybugs release honeydew (a sugary substance) which causes sooty mold.
1. Control the pest attack with Chlorpyriphos 50EC at 350ml/100-liter water.

2. Spray Quinalphos 25 EC or Malathion 50 EC at 1 ml/lit four times at 15 days intervals.


Shoot borer
It is usually found in nurseries or seedling stages of plants, where it is used to infest plant shoots and dry them out.Mix Quinalphos at 400ml/Chlorpyriphos at 500ml and spray with 100-liter water per acre.


Aphids
1. It sucks the juice within the plant and dries them. 

2. Infestation typically deforms young leaves while curing them.
For absolute management, fresh leaves must be sprayed with Methyl Demeton at 20 ml or Dimethoate at 20 ml/10 liters water.

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Guava
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Diseases and their management in Hybrid Guava farming

DiseaseSymptomsManagement



Wilt
1. During fast infestations, the plant leaves may wilt and turn yellow, causing the plant to dry out.

2. Fruits of all the affected branches remain underdeveloped, hard, and stony.
1. Drench the soil with Carbendazim at 25gm or Copper oxychloride at 30gm per 10 liters of water and spray.

2. 1.82 kg. Lime or Gypsum per tree controls the wilt disease. Oil cakes like neem cake, mahua cake, and Kusum cake supplemented with urea at 10 kg and 1kg, respectively, also manage the disease.





Dieback or Anthracnose
1. Spots are dark brown in color, sunken, circular, and have minute black stromata in the center of the lesion, which produce creamy spore masses in moist weather.

2. Unopened buds and flowers are also affected, which causes their shedding.

3. On leaves, the fungus causes necrotic lesions, usually ashy grey, and bears fruiting bodies at the tip or on the margin
1. As part of a pruning session, spray Captan 300 grams mixed with 100 Liters of water on the pruned area. The spraying of those plants and infested areas of the plant should be continued without interruption for 15 days.

2. The spraying of copper oxychloride at a rate of 40gm/10 liters of water can also be considered a way of drenching infected trees.




Fruit rot
1. The affected area is covered with whitish cotton-like growth.

2. The skin of the fruit below the whitish cottony growth becomes a little soft and turns light brown to dark
1. Prune the infected parts of the plant and spray with  Copper Oxychloride at 3 grams per liter of water.

2. Use Mancozeb 75% WG. Rate of dilution 20 grams per 10 liters of water

Conclusion

In hybrid Guava farming, the emphasis is primarily on increasing the quantity and quality of vital elements. As a result of this improvisation, the food becomes healthier and tastier. The varied fruits contain more minerals and are more colorful. Hybrid farming does not involve any chemicals. As a result, crop production is multiplied, benefiting the population.

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