Input -use-efficiency in high density guava (var. Allahabad Safeda) for growth, fruit yield and quality at Kymore plateau of Madhya Pradesh

Guava (Psidium guajava L.) is an important fruit crop of Kymore plateau of Madhya Pradesh. Studies were carried out to evaluate the input-use-efficiency in guava for growth, fruit yield and fruit quality under high density planting using Allahabad Safeda variety at Kymoreplateau of Madhya Pradesh during five years trial of2017 to 2023 at Kuthuliya Farm of Fruit Research Station, College of Agriculture, Rewa, Madhya Pradesh under ICAR-All India Coordinated Research Project on Fruits. Five years results indicated that use-efficiency of different inputsat various growth stages of guava exhibited significant effect on plant growth, fruit yield and fruit quality. Different treatments comprised of T₁:Raised bed cultivation + drip irrigation (80% ER at all stages) + Fertigation (75% of RDF) + Mulching (100 micron UV- stabilized black polyethylene) + Micronutrients spray (Zinc sulphate + Boric acid at 0.20% each), T₂: Drip irrigation (80% ER at all stages),T_3: Fertigation (75% RDF), T₄: Mulching with 100 micron UV- stabilized black polythene and T₅: Micronutrients spray (Zinc sulphate+ Boric acid at 0.20%+ Ferrous sulphate 0.50% + Manganese sulphate 0.40%). The maximum canopy volume (30.74. m³), higher fruits tree^-(163.9 fruits tree ^-1or 25.44 kg tree^-1) and fruit weight (162.75 g) were observed with treatment T_1.Incidently, this treatment was associated with maximum B:C ratio (2.39) with treatment T₁ compared to rest of other treatments _..The long term study hence suggested that treatment raised bed cultivation with drip irrigation (80% ER at all staged) plus fertigation (75% RDF) along with mulching (with 100 micron UV stabilized black polythene) and micronutrient spray (Zinc sulphate+ Boric acid at 0.20%+ Ferrous sulphate 0.50% + Manganese sulphate 0.40%) as complete set of inputs for maximizing the guava performance in Kymore plateau of Madhya Pradesh.