Radiant energy distribution in guava (Psidium guajava L.) plants at different spacings

Abstract

The study on radiant energy distribution in guava was carried out to optimize the planting density with respect to solar radiation interception by the plants to get higher yield of good quality fruits per unit area. The present investigations reveals that with increase in plant spacing from 6x2m to 6x4m the interception of radiation increased significantly during both rainy and winter crop seasons. However, it starts declining with further increase in plant spacing to 6x5m level. The interception of radiation remains somewhat static during the summer and rainy season months (May-September) and then starts decreasing with the advent of winter season upto April with sharp decline during the month of December to February. In the upper 1/3rd portion of plant canopy, more than 75% radiations were intercepted irrespective of plant spacing followed by 12-16% in middle and 6-9% in the lower 1/3rd parts of plant canopies. The plant spacing of 6x2m and 6x3m was found to be not encouraging owing to lower distribution of radiations particularly in middle and lower parts of plants. The plant spacing of 6x4m was found to be best due tomaximum absorption of solar radiation for higher fruiting of better quality fruits.