Resource Book on Horticulture Nursery Management

Guava (Psidium guajava L.)
Various Stages in Stone Grafting of Mango
Raising of Rootstocks: Raising rootstocks in polyethylene bags is
recommended as this gives better establishment of plants in the field on account of
undisturbed tap root system. Guava seeds have a hard coating over the endocarp as a
result of which usually long time is required for germination. Fresh seeds should be
extracted from drupe fruits and washed thoroughly to remove the pulpy material
clinging to the seeds. It should be treated with fungicide (0.03 % copper oxychloride)
before sowing in the polyethylene bag to prevent damping-off of seedling. Seeds of
guava are sown in polyethylene bags of 20x10 cm or 18x27 cm size dur ing any t ime
of the year. Polyethylene bags are filled with soil, sand and Farm Yard Manure in
3:1:1 ratio. All the polyethylene bags are covered with 100 micron (400 gauge) white
polyethylene sheet soon after sowing of seed. During winter months, the polyethylene
mulch conserves heat and create conducive environment (micro-climate) for rapid
germination and early establishment of seedlings.
Patch Budding: Seedlings of about one-year-age, pencil thick, uniform and active
in growth are selected. This method is most satisfactory when vigorously growing
plants with 1.25-2.5 cm in stem diameter, are used as root stock. The trees from which
buds are taken should be highly vegetative with lush succulent growth to permit
easy separation of buds from the stem. It is better to take swollen and dormant buds
from leaf axil of mature twigs of the scion variety. A patch, approximately 1 cm to
1.5 cm with a bud seems to be taken for better success. Similarly, 1-1.5 cm long patch
is removed from the rootstock and bud is fitted into the remaining portion on the stock
seedling. Bud should be fitted at a height of nearly 15 c m above the ground level.
Polyethylene strip is used for keeping the buds close to the stock. When the bark adheres
<strong>Resource</strong> <strong>Book</strong> on Horticulture Nursery Management : 140