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PRODUCTION GUIDE FOR GUAVA

General Description and Economic Value

Guava (Psidium guajava Linn.) locally known as “Bayabas”, is a popular fruit in

the Philippines and found indigenous to the American
tropics. It is one of the most gregarious fruit
tree species of the Myrtaceae family which
has a great potential for extensive commercial
production because of its ease of culture, high nutritional
value and popularity of processed products. It is usually grown
in open areas, second-growth forests, and backyard or as part of a mixed orchard.

Botanically, guava is a small tree that reaches a height of up to 33 feet; with

spreading branches; smooth, thin, copper-colored bark that flakes off showing
greenish layer beneath; trunk reaches a diameter of 25 cm. Leaves are evergreen,
borne opposite, short-petioled, oval to oblong-elliptic, somewhat irregular in outline, 7-
15 cm long and 3-5 cm wide, leathery, with conspicuous parallel veins, downy on the
underside, and aromatic when crushed. Flowers are white, faintly fragrant, borne
singly or in small clusters in the leaf axis, 2.5 cm wide, with 4 to 5 white petals which
quickly shed-off, and about 250 white stamens tipped with pale-yellow anthers. The
tree excels better than some other fruit trees in productivity, hardness and
adaptability.

Its fruit exudes strong, sweet, musky odor when ripe; round, ovoid or pear-
shaped, 5-10 cm long with 4 or 5 protruding floral remnants (sepals) at the apex; an
excellent source of vitamin C, which is substantially higher than what is found in
citrus. It is also a good source of vitamin A and other important elements. The fruit
contains large amount of citric, lactic, malic, oxalic and acetic acids and trace amount
of formic acid. The green mature guavas can be utilized as a source of pectin, which
yield somewhat higher and better quality pectin than when ripe. The ripe fruit is
usually eaten as dessert; processed into jellies, jam, paste, juice, baby foods, puree,
beverage base, syrup, wine, dehydrated guava powder, marmalade, catsup, ice cream
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and other products. It can be eaten sliced with cream and sugar and as ingredient in
cakes and pies. The sour guava fruits are used in local dishes like “sinigang”.

Moreover, many parts of guava tree have medicinal and commercial uses. The
bark and leaves are rich in tannin (10% in the leaves on a dry weight basis, and 11-
30% in the bark), and also used in childbirth to expel the placenta. Leaves can be
made into tea and astringent decoction to cure stomach ache; also act as vermifuge;
treat toothache when chewed; pounded leaves may be used to relieve rheumatism;
can also be used for dyeing and tanning. Its wood is moderately strong and durable
indoor and useful for carpentry and turnery. It is also a good fuel wood, and as source
of charcoal.

In spite its potentials, no existing record for big planting and production of
guava in the Philippines has been reported.

Table 1. Food Value Per 100 g of Edible Portion of Guava Fruit.

Nutrient Content Value

Calories 36 to 50
Moisture 77 to 86 g
Crude Fiber 2.8 to 5.5 g
Protein 0.9 to 1.0 g
Fat 0.1 to 0.5 g
Ash 0.43 to 0.70 g
Carbohydrates 9.1 to 10 g
Calcium 9.1 to 17 mg
Phosphorus 17.8 to 30 mg
Iron 0.30 to 0.70 mg
Carotene (Vitamin A) 200-400 I.U.
Thiamine 0.046 mg
Riboflavin 0.03 to 0.04 mg
Niacin 0.6 to 1.068 mg
Vitamin B3 40 I.U.
Vitamin G4 35 I.U.
Ascorbic Acid 56 to 600 mg (ripe fruit)

Soil and Climatic Requirements of Guava

Guava can be grown in almost all types of soil but thrives best on well-drained
clay loam to sandy loam soil rich in organic matter with pH ranging from 5.0 to 7.0;
elevation from sea level to 1,600 feet above sea level. Field observations indicate that
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heavier fruits are produced in lower elevations. Guava can be economically grown at
elevations where pineapple, macadamia, coffee, papaya, mango, and banana are
profitably grown. However, areas of 1,800 feet above sea level are not suitable for
growing guava.

It prefers dry climate with well-distributed rainfall throughout the year,

although it is somewhat drought tolerant. For fruit production, it is recommended
that guava trees are not planted in areas with high wind velocity. It is advisable to
plant windbreaks that do not have much lateral growth along the border areas where
the prevailing wind velocity ranges from 15 to 24 km per hour.

Guava Varieties and Strains

1. ‘Supreme’ – a guava variety from Florida; generally high yielding and produces
a thick white flesh fruit of good quality when eaten as fresh fruit or used for
processing. Fruit shape is ovate with distinct corrugation, 6.3 cm long, 5.5 cm in
diameter and weighing 65 g. The tree is moderately prolific and regular bearing.
When fully ripe, the fruit is bright yellow in color. The flavor of the inner pulp is
sweet but the outer skin is slightly bitter and possesses a distinct strawberry
wine odor, which is slightly astringent. It is moderately resistant to anthracnose
and fruit fly but susceptible to leaf folder and aphids.

2. ‘Red Indian Rolfs and Ruby’ – fruit is ovate, 6.5 cm long, 5 cm in diameter
with thin, smooth, medium green skin, weighing about 75 g. The fruit pulp is
about 10 mm deep and red when fully ripe and has less pronounced
corrugation. It is large seeded, sparsely populated but very sweet, juicy, crunchy
and possesses a strong aroma. The tree is very prolific, regular bearing but
easily attack by bats, though moderately resistant to anthracnose and oriental
fruit fly.

3. ‘Seedless variety’ – this variety has a fleshy layer, which is thick with almost no
seed cavity.

4. ‘Goyena Quezo de Bola’ (NSIC 02 Gv-01)-this is NSIC guava variety approved

in 2002, a prolific yielder. It bears fruits with yellowish green skin color, finely
smooth texture with pleasant aroma. Each fruit weighs about 575 g.

5. Vietnam Guava – bears medium to big size fruits of about 200 to 1,000 g,
slightly oblong to ovate; greenish yellow skin with ripe, creamy-white flesh,
moderate amount of seeds, very sweet flavor; heavy bearer; good keeping
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quality; excellent when eaten fresh but could also be used for pies and other
processed products.

6. Hawaiian Strains - these are usually sour type guavas which are excellent
raw materials for processing .

CULTURAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

Nursery Practices

Seed germination and care of seedlings – guava seeds should be thoroughly

cleaned and air-dried right after extraction from the fruits. It is necessary to treat the
seeds with fungicides to prevent damping off.

Seeds should be planted as soon as possible to ensure high germination.

Germinate seeds in beds or boxes using a mixture of fine sand and garden soil as
growing medium. Sow them evenly in furrows 2-3 cm apart and lightly cover them
with soil 0.5-1.0 cm deep. Water regularly preferably in the morning to keep the soil
moist.

Protect seedlings against pests and diseases by spraying insecticides and/or

fungicides. Organic pesticides are highly recommended. A month after emergence or
when the first true leaves have formed, transplant seedlings in individual containers
or polybags using clay loam soil mixed with compost as growing medium. Partial
shading is necessary until the seedlings have established. Seedlings are ready for field
transplanting or used as rootstocks when they are six months to one year old.

Propagation – guava is commonly multiplied by seeds. Howver, it can also be

propagated asexually by root cuttings, marcotting, budding, grafting and inarching.

a. Seed Propagation – guava is usually propagated by seeds. Guava seeds

remain viable for many months. They often germinate in 2 to 3 weeks but
may take as long as 8 weeks. However, this method will not produce true-to-
type plants. Variability in seedlings can be minimized by hand self-
pollination. Honeybee (Apis mellifera) is one of the major pollinators of
guava. The amount of cross pollination ranges from 25.7 to 41.3%.

b. Root cuttings – this is the oldest method of asexually propagating guava.

Cut about 12-20 cm long roots and induce to sprout by placing flat on the
bed and cover them with about 2 inches of fine soil, which must be kept
moist to promote germination.

c. Budding – an efficient vegetative propagation for selected varieties of guava.

Both the patch budding and forkert techniques are recommended. The
diameter of seedling stock and budwood should be from 15-25 mm.
Budwood should be mature, bark no longer green. Condition the budwood
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by defoliating the leaves of selected branches 10-14 days before removing

the branches for use as budwood. During this period the buds become more
enlarged and grow more readily after budding.

d. Marcotting or Air layering –low branches of guava are bent down, with
about 12-15 cm of the branch is covered with soil and kept damp to induce
root formation.

e. Stem cuttings – stem cuttings are made from the young portion towards
the end of the branches. These are rooted using sandy loam soil medium in
a nursery house or shed. Guava stem cuttings treated with Indole Butyric
Acid(IBA)or Napthalene Acetic Acid (NAA) proved to be successful for rooting
and produce numerous and vigorous roots.

Land preparation

a) Plowing and harrowing - For backyard planting, land preparation may

consist of primarily digging holes about 50 cm wide and 50 cm deep. Place
kerosene can of compost before planting. For open areas, plow the field 1-2
times alternated by harrowing to completely pulverize and expose the soil,
and eradicate weeds. It is best prior to the onset of wet season.

b) Staking – Staking is making at 5 to 7 m apart which will serves as guide

where to dig holes. About 277 guava seedlings is needed to plant a hectare.
The exact planting distance is decided according to variety, soil fertility, and
availability of irrigation facilities.

Planting

The best time to plant is at the onset or during the rainy season. Prior to
planting, place compost in holes. Also, harden the guava seedlings at least a week
before planting by exposing them gradually to sunlight. During planting, carefully
remove the potting containers or plastic bags, seeing to it that roots are not disturbed;
carefully place guava seedling on dug hole, cover it with fine soil until to the base of
the seedlings. Water the seedlings right away if soil moisture is not sufficient.

Weeding and Cultivation

Shallow cultivation around the base of the plant is recommended to prevent

root injury. Ring weed plant to eradicate competing weeds.

Irrigation

While guava can tolerate dry spell, supplementary irrigation during prolonged
dry periods is desirable to provide adequate water supply for the growing guava tree.
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Irrigation has been shown to increase fruit production by increasing fruit size when
applied during fruit development.

Mulching

Cover the base of the growing guava plants with dried leaves or rice straws to
minimize growth of weeds and to conserve moisture.

Fertilization

Guava trees should be kept healthy through application of fertilizers from the
time they are planted until they continue to produce fruits. In the absence of definite
information regarding the fertilizer requirements of guava in the Philippines, apply
about 100 to 500 g ammonium sulphate around the base of tree twice a year. Be sure
to cover the newly applied fertilizer with fine soil. Apply fertilizer one month after
planting and 6 months thereafter or towards the end of the rainy season. Increase the
amount of fertilizer applied as the trees grow bigger. At the start of fruiting, each tree
should be given about 300-500 g complete fertilizer, preferably one containing more
nitrogen and potassium per application. At the peak of fruit production (about 10-18
years, apply 2 kg or more of complete fertilizer per tree; split application may be
required to sustain growth and development as well as fruit production.

Pruning

Pruning is a must in guava production. This is done to have the desired form
or shape of the guava tree such as spreading or symmetrical or limited crown or to
keep number of branches. However, when the trees have established a strong
framework and started to bear fruit, little training is required. The root sprout; low-
lying branches, disease infected and other dead branches, have to be eliminated. It
should be pruned and trained within first 3 to 4 months after field planting to increase
yield and to reduce the total cost of field operations.

Intercropping

While the guava trees are not yet fully productive, intercropping of cahs crops
like vegetables, legumes, root crops and other annual crops are recommended. Aside
from added income, it will also prevent the growth of weeds and loosen the soil in the
orchard. However, this intercrop should be stopped once the main crop becomes too
crowded.

Pests of Guava

a) Oriental fruit fly (Daucus dorsalis Hendel) is one of the major insect pests
of guava. Its larvae burrow through the ripe fruits making them unfit for
human consumption. To control this pest, bag the guava fruits, and harvest
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as soon as fruits are ripe. Infested fruits must be collected and burned or
buried to destroy the larvae and pupa of the insect pest.

b) Aphids (Aphis gosypii Glover) feeds on young growth causing the curling of
leaves. Aphids are fed upon by lady beetles and by maggots of syrphid flies.
They are also parasitized by minute parasitic hymenopterans.Spray with
appropriate insecticides (like Malathion) to control the pest.

c) Mealy Bugs and Scale Insects - Common white mealy bug (Lanococcus
lilacinus Ckll) attacks and draws plant sap from the young shoots and fruits
of guava though its actual damage is economically insignificant, however,
the ants that it attracts are nuisance when picking the fruits.

d) Green Scale Insect (Coccus viridis Green) is a soft scale insect that infests
the young shoots, mostly the leaves. The use of entomogenous fungi is
effective control during rainy season. Likewise the use of small wasp
parasite, Coccophagus tibialis is also recommended.

e) Moth (Zuezera coffeae Nietn) of pink caterpillar bores into young upright
growing stems tunnelling on its center where it feeds and develops; stem
may suddenly die or break off. Infested stem may be saved by inserting leaf
midrib into the tunnel and pushing it in as far as it would go to kill the
caterpillar inside. If infested twigs have broken, spear or kill the larvae.

What about white fly? Many guava trees are infested with this insect

Diseases of Guava

a) Anthracnose or Canker caused by Gloeosporium psidii G Del. The fungus

produces two kinds of symptoms: formation of cankerous spots throughout
the fruit surface which are circular, dry and raised; in some areas, however,
infected fruits become undersized misshapen, hard and dry.

Typical sunken soft lesions usually produced by anthracnose can be

observed on ripe fruits. Under moist conditions; pinkish masses of spores
can be seen on lesion surface. It also causes dieback of plants. On the
leaves, the disease produces angular, rusty brown spots of varying sizes,
usually 2-5 mm in diameter. During the rainy season, the blight on shoots
is a common symptom.

No definite control measure is recommended although spraying of

fungicide can be done.

b) Spotting of Leaves and Fruits caused by the parasitic alga, Cepaleuros

spp, is rather severe on some types and varieties of guava in humid areas.
Spray copper fungicide to control this disorder.
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c) Wilting caused by Glomremella psidii Sheld is another disease known to

attack guava. The disease causes mummification and blackening of
immature fruits.

HARVESTING

Guava fruits mature in 90-150 days after flowering. Currently, guava fruit are
handpicked. Harvesting guava requires care and usually handpicked. Harvesting of
ripe guavas cannot go on for more than 2 to 3 days during the height of the season
because of potential losses from insects and over ripening of fruits.

Postharvest

The picked fruit should be placed in a cool dry place away from the sun. To
maintain quality, it is best to process the fruits soon after harvest. The puree can be
chilled, frozen, or aseptically packaged. If the fruits need to be stored overnight, the
fruit boxes should be places in a covered and well-ventilated area.

References

Cendaña, S., M. Gabriel, and E. Magalona. 1984. Insect Pests of Fruit Plants in the
Philippines, UPLB, College, Laguna. 86pp.

Coronel, R.E. 1983. Promising Fruits of the Philippines. College of Agriculture. U.P.
Los Baños. P. 204-231.

http:/ /www.ctahr.hawai.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/RES-085.pdf

http:/ /www.extento.hawai.edu/kbase/crop/crops/i guava.htm

Morton, J. 1987. Guava. In: Fruits of Warm Climates. p. 356-363.

Rantugan, H. 1986. Guava In: Plant Industry Guide. BPI. 13pp.

Shiguera, G. T. And R, M. Bullock. 1983. Guava (Psidium guajava L.) In Hawaii-

History and Production. Research Extension Series 035.

Statistic of Hawaii Agriculture 1992. Hawaii Agricultural Statistics Service. Hawaii

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Suadiarto and Mien A. Rifai. 1992. In:PROSEA Edible Fruits and Nuts. E., Verheigand
and R. Coronel (eds.). Bogo, Indonesia. p. 266-272.

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