An appraisal on physico-chemical and sensory attributes of major guava varieties cultivated under different agro-climatic regions of India

Guava is grown countrywide , but with a varied fruit quality attributes from consumers point of view. The current study examined eleven genetically diverse guava cultivars, divided into two groups viz., white fleshed (MPUAT S-1, MPUAT S-2, SRD H-4, CISH G-35, RCGH-1, RCGH-7, RCGH-11, CISH G-5) with Allahabad Safeda as a check and pink fleshed (Arka Kiran, SRD H-1, RCGH-4) with Lalit as a check during 2015-2019 under ICAR-AICRP. Physico-chemical analysis of all these varieties were carried out at seven AICRP Centers representing different agro-climatic regions of India. White fleshed CISH G-5 variety recorded maximum TSS (12.80 ⁰B) and overall acceptability (8.60 on scale of 10.0), while pink fleshed variety SRD H-1 recorded maximum vitamin C (186.41 mg/100 g fruit) at Ludhiana with minimum acidity (0.24%) in MPUAT S-1. Whereas, MPUAT S-2 recorded highest TSS (13.82 ⁰B) and vitamin C (213.92 mg/100 g fruit) with high overall acceptability (7.95 on scale of 10.0) in CISH G-5 at Lucknow. Similarly, RCGH-1 variety performed maximum TSS (11.57 ⁰B) and lowest acidity (0.27%) found at Pantnagar. The variety MPUAT S-1 showed maximum TSS (13.14 ⁰B), vitamin C (186.68 mg/100 g fruit), overall acceptability (8.33 on scale of 10.0) and lowest acidity (0.29%) at Udaipur. However, RCGH-7 and SRD H-1 registered maximum TSS (12.00 ⁰B) and vitamin C (196.00 mg/100 g fruit) with overall acceptability of 7. 32 ( on scale of 10.0) in Allahabad Safeda, Arka Kiran and SRD H-1 varieties cultivated at Bengaluru. Nevertheless, RCGH-1 expressed maximum TSS (11.19 ⁰B) and overall acceptability of 7.63 (on scale of 10.0) in MPUAT S-2 and Arka Kiran varieties at Rahuri. However, Allahabad Safeda recorded maximum TSS (10.68 ⁰B) and overall acceptability (8.55 on scale of 10.0 ) at Rewa center. The results of these studies are indicative of strong regional adaptability of guava varieties.