Response of guava var. Arka Amulya to branch bending during winter and summer in the Eastern tropical region of India

Abstract

Aim: The study aimed to evaluate the comparative response of guava var. Arka Amulya to branch bending practice during winter and summer for controlling shoot vigour and improving flushing, yield, and quality of harvest under hot and humid climate of Odisha. Methodology: The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design with five treatments consisting of branch bending during first week of January, February, May, June, and without branch bending as control. Each treatment was replicated four times and each replication unit had four plants. Observations were recorded on flushing, flowering, yield, and fruit quality parameters. Results: Branch bending technique was found effective for controlling the shoot vigour and enhancing flushing, flowering, and yield in guava, when practised during January, February, and May, however, effects were more pronounced when branch orientation was manipulated during winter months. January branch bending produced the shortest vegetative shoots (50.48 cm) and recorded the maximum value for flush count (28.91 shoots m-1 branch), flowering (57.91%), and fruit yield (38.46 kg per tree). Branch manipulation during winter resulted in higher yield gains (70.87-81.59%) over control (21.18 kg per tree) as compared to summer months (11.99-42.21%). All the treatments of branch bending caused a significant improvement in various fruit quality attributes, however, May and June treatments excelled in the performance. June bending produced the best quality fruit (TSS: 11.35ºB, Total sugar: 7.85%, Vitamin C: 197.39 mg 100 g-1 pulp, Total phenolic content: 117.29 mg GAE 100 g-1 FW, and total flavonoid: 52.74 mg QE 100 g-1 f. wt.), followed by May bending. Interpretation: In guava, canopy architecture manipulation through branch bending appears to hold immense potential for enhancing the quantum and quality of produce, if practised at suitable time. Practising this technique after May month would not give significant yield gain over the control plant.