Effects of pruning intensity and nutrient spray on growth, yield and quality attributes of guava (Psidium guajava) cv. Allahabad Safeda under central Uttar Pradesh

V K  TRIPATHI; JAY  YADAV; SHIWANAND  PANDEY; AMIT  KUMAR; RIDDHIMA  TRIPATHI

doi:10.56093/ijas.v95i9.164004

Authors

V K TRIPATHI Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 208 002, India
JAY YADAV Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 208 002, India
SHIWANAND PANDEY Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 208 002, India
AMIT KUMAR Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 208 002, India
RIDDHIMA TRIPATHI Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 208 002, India

https://doi.org/10.56093/ijas.v95i9.164004

Keywords:

Biochemical quality, Calcium nitrate, Growth and yield, Guava, Pruning levels

Abstract

The present experiment was conducted during 2023 and 2024 at Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh to evaluate the effect of pruning intensity and chemical applications on growth, yield and quality parameters of guava (Psidium guajava L.) cv. Allahabad Safeda under central Uttar Pradesh. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design (RBD) having 10 treatments including one as control, viz. three pruning levels (20%, 40% and 60% of shoot) and combinations with calcium nitrate @1%, 2% and 3% and potassium nitrate @1.5%, 3% and 4.5%. Results revealeded significant improvement in growth parameters with T₉, Pruning of 40% shoot + Ca(NO₃)₂ @2.0% having maximum plant height (7.17 m), trunk girth (29.44 cm), shoot length (22.83 cm) and shoot girth (7.87 mm). Flowering and fruit set parameters were also optimized in T₉, with minimum days to flower bud initiation (22.33 days), days to first flower (23.67 days), flowers dropped/shoot (4.05) and no. of fruit set/ shoot (11.58). T₉ also resulted highest fruit retention/shoot (8.96), fruit width (6.12 cm), fruit length (7.12 cm), fruit weight (171.18 g) and fruit volume (266.55 cm³). Yield improvements were evident in T₉ with maximum yield/tree (45.34 kg) and per hectare (11.87 t/ha). Biochemical analysis showed superior quality of fruits in T₉ resulted highest TSS (9.93°Brix), lowest titratable acidity (0.16%), highest TSS: acid ratio (68.73), maximum vitamin C (235 mg/100 g), highest total sugars (8.63%) and maximum sugar: acid ratio (59.11). These results highlighted the synergistic effect of pruning and calcium nitrate in enhancing vegetative growth, flowering, fruiting and quality attributes. This integrated approach offers the potential for optimizing guava production under sub-tropical conditions in north India.

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