Effect of frequent winter rains on fruit quality of two commercial cultivars of guava

Abstract

Winter season fruit of guava cv Sardar and Allahabad Safeda are known for their quality and good market value. Frequent rains during the winter of 1997-98 resulted in varying soil moisture content. Taking clue from the rainy season crop of guava whose quality is not comparable with that of winter crop which is mainly due to rains Periodical fruit and soil samples were collected to study the effect of various soil moisture regimes and fruit quality parameters of cvs Sardar and Allahabad Safeda. Weather forecasting was kept in view during the study. Maximum total soluble solids, 13.83 per cent and reducing sugars, 3.02 and 3.20 per cent while minimum acidity 1.94 and 1.83 % were determined in Sardar and Allahabad Safeda, respectively, at soil moisture content of 1.23 per cent in the second week of March. Maximum ascorbic acid content 336.34 and 261.54 mg/100g pulp in Sardar and Allahabad Safeda, respectively were recorded at 18.51% moisture content in first week of January. Higher soil moisture content was found to decrease TSS and reducing sugars and increase acidity in both the cultivars.