Growth, yield and quality of rejuvenated guava as influenced by thinning-bending and micronutrients

Abstract

A study was conducted during 2008-09 to understand the effect of thinning, bending and spray of micronutrients on rejuvenated guava (Psidium guajava) cv. Sardar. 50% thinning of the shoots (C3) was superior to the rest of cultural practices and control in respect to growth, i.e., diameter of the shoot (11.40 mm), canopy volume (370.39 m3), relative growth of shoot at 75th, 105th and 135th days (41.90, 34.23 and 14.25% respectively), fruit yield (13.28 kg/plant), lowest number of the seeds (163.22), TSS (14%), total sugars (7.46%) and vitamin C content (238.33 mg/100 g pulp). Similarly, double spray of Zn (0.5%) + B (0.2%) + Mn (0.1%) in the month of August and October (S2) also significantly increased diameter of one-year-old shoot (9.13 mm), canopy volume (321.15 m3), relative growth of the shoot at 105th and 135th days (28.00% and 10.78%, respectively), fruit yield (12.63 kg/plant) and quality (TSS 13.20%, total sugars 6.98% and vitamin C content 239 mg/100 g pulp) over single spray and control. The interaction of cultural practices and spray of micronutrients were found to be superior over individual effect in rejuvenated guava. However, among all the interaction treatments maximum relative growth rate of the shoot at 135th days (13.98%), fruit retention (71.50%), fruit length (5.13 cm), fruit width (5.09 cm), fruit yield (14.02 kg/plant), size of seed cavity (2.53 cm) and minimum fruit drop (28.51%) and acidity (0.45%) were recorded in 50% thinning + double spray of Zn (0.5%) + B (0.2%) + Mn (0.1%) in the month of August and October (C3S2).