Effect of Nutrients Application on Vegetative Growth, Fruit Quality and Yield of Guava CV L-49

Guava which is an important fruit crop of India shows reduction in yield and quality production of fruits due to nutrients deficiency. Combined application of different macro (N, P, K and Ca) and micronutrients (zinc sulphate, ferrous sulphate, and boric acid) improve growth, yield and quality of the guava fruits. Considering the importance of nutrients application in guava, an experiment was carried out during the year 2022–23 on 11 years old guava trees planted at Horticulture Research Centre, Patharchatta, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar. The experiment comprised of ten treatments as application of 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) combined with basal and foliar application of different nutrients viz zinc sulphate (100g and 1%), ferrous sulphate (100g and 0.5%), calcium chloride (100g and 0.5%) and boric acid (100g and 0.2%), respectively. The results of the study revealed that the highest plant height (4.63 m), stem girth (25.75 cm), canopy volume (173.29 m³), yield (31.91kg/tree), yield efficiency (0.69 kg/m³), fruit length (7.01 cm), fruit width (6.88 cm), number of fruits (197.33), fruit weight (227.61 g), total soluble solids (14.29°Brix) and ascorbic acid (272.15 mg/100g pulp) were obtained best with trees in which 75% RDF + 100g zinc sulfate + 100g calcium chloride + 100g ferric sulfate + 100g boric acid /tree/year was applied in the basin after pruning in June followed by two foliar sprays of 1% zinc sulfate + 0.5% calcium chloride + 0.5% ferric sulfate + 0.2% boric acid first just before flowering and second 30 days after the first application in last week of August and last week of September, respectively).