Diagnosis and management of nutrient constraints in guava

Abstract

India is the world's leading guava produce, although it originated from the tropical America, it found in this country ideal conditions for its cultivation, being produced on a large scale commercial. Guava cultivation has expanded not only in India but also around the world due to its nutritional value and characteristics such as productivity, hardiness, adaptability, and economic returns. This expansion gained momentum with the development of cultivars with dual aptitude: direct fruit consumption and processing. Genetic selection and vegetative multiplication of guava trees increased production potential, nutrient-use efficiency, and nutrient removal to high levels. Although the guava tree is cultivated under diverse conditions of soil and climate and management, research showed strong response to pruning, irrigation, and improvement of soil fertility. The nutritional aspect is particularly important for the fruit, considering the influence of nutrients on fruit quality. This chapter describes the current management practices in the world guava orchards, especially dosage, timing, and application methods of liming and fertilization to achieve high yields.