Influence of nutrient sources on growth, fruit quality and economics of guava under Chhattisgarh plain

An experiment was conducted to find out the effect of organic and inorganic sources of fertilizers on growth, quality and benefit cost ratio of winter guava. The two years pooled data revealed that highest tree height (4.94m), trunk girth (67.05cm), North-South spread (7.00m), East-West spread (6.88m), number of flowers/m² (15.72), number of fruits/m² (12.70), fruit set (80.80%), fruit length and diameter (7.45 and 7.73cm), fruit volume (207.24 cc), TSS (12.49°B), total sugars (8.37%), reducing & non-reducing sugars (4.46% and 3.92%), ascorbic acid (236.42 mg/100g pulp) and sugar/acid ratio (29.61) respectively, was obtained in treatment T₆ comprising 75% RDF + cowdung slurry @10 litre tree⁻¹ + Azospirillum 100 g tree⁻¹ + PSB 100 g tree⁻¹. This treatment also resulted in the lowest peel weight (9.20 g), seed weight (4.84 g) and acidity (0.28%). The pooled analysis of two year data also indicated that 75% RDF + cowdung slurry @10 litre tree⁻¹ + Azospirillum 100 g tree⁻¹ + PSB 100 g tree⁻¹ (T₆) was found the best over most of the treatments in respect of yield parameters like yield per hectare (13.48 MT), gross returns (Rs. 3, 34, 000 ha⁻¹), net returns (Rs. 2, 76, 076 ha⁻¹) and highest benefit: cost ratio (5.77). Treatment having 75% RDF + 25% NPK tree⁻¹ blended with cowdung slurry @ 10 litre tree⁻¹ (T₄) proved the next best treatment, However, lowest values for all the parameters were recorded under the control.