Guava - Promising varieties

Guava (Psidium guajava) : The nomenclature and the descriptions of the different guava varieties grown in India are greatly confusing. Some varieties are named according to shape of the fruit; skin and pulp colour while several others after the place of origin. Guava is mainly a self-pollinated crop but cross-pollination also occurs resulting in large variability in the seedling population from which promising genotypes have been selected in different agro-climatic regions.

Chittidar: Fruits are almost round, white pulped, smooth skinned with red spots on the skin having vitamin C content of 240 mg/100 g pulp.

Hafsi:  Fruits are moderately big sized, spherical with thin skin. The pulp is red with good taste and flavour. Seeds are comparatively less in number but are hard.

Navalur: It is a variety grown in Dharwad region of Karnataka. It is hardy in nature, drought tolerant and resistant to canker.

Red flesh: Fruits are medium sized with red pulp almost round, smooth skinned. Seeds are plenty but soft.  Fruits possess sweet flavour and contain 386 mg vitamin C / 100 g pulp.

Sardar (Lucknow 49):  Fruits are spherical and meaty, seeds are soft and in plenty, pulp is white and tasty contains 130 mg vitamin C/100 g pulp.

Seedless:  Fruits are of irregular shape and yellow with thin skin, warty surface and swollen calyx end. Pulp is white, seedless, has good taste and aroma and has 240 mg vitamin C / 100 g pulp.

Safed Jam:  This is a hybrid of ‘Allahabad Safeda’ x ‘Kohir’ (a local collection from Hyderabad Karnataka region). It is similar to ‘Allahabad Safeda’ in growth habit and fruit quality. Fruits are bigger in size with good quality and few soft seeds.

Kohir Safeda:  It is a heavy yielding cross of selected line of ‘Kohir’ x ‘Allahabad Safeda’. Tree is vigorous; fruits are large with few soft seeds and white pulp.

Allahabad Safeda: Fruits are big in size, round, smooth skin, white pulp, soft, firm, light yellow and on ripening develop very sweet taste, pleasing flavour and have few seeds.  It is the most popular variety in India and the progenitor of many Indian varieties.

Allahabad Surkha:  It is a selection from local red pulp type released at Allahabad Agricultural Institute, Allahabad. Fruits are round with uniform pink skin with deep pink pulp, sweet and strongly flavored

Pant Prabhat:  A selection made at G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar. Plant growth upright, tree is highly productive (100-125 kg). Fruits are medium sized with smooth skin, white pulp with medium soft seeds.

Hisar Safeda:  It is a cross between Allahabad Safeda and seedless developed at CSS HAU, Hisar.  Plants are upright growth habit with compact crown.  Fruits are round with smooth surface, creamy white pulp with few soft seeds with high TSS (12-13^oB).

Hisar Surkha:  It is from the cross Apple colour and Banarasi Surkha. Tree crown is broad to compact. Fruits are round, skin yellow with few red dots, pink pulp with good TSS (12-13^oB).

Smooth green: Fruits are round and medium sized. Skin is glossy and greenish yellow when matured. Pulp is white, good taste and flavour.

Nasik: Fruits are medium sized, round, white pulp, sweet with good flavour.

Apple colour: Fruits are medium sized, round, the skin is red like apple while   the pulp is white, sweet with good flavour.

Benaras: Fruits are round, medium  to big in size, white pulp with  good taste

Lalit:  It is a selection from high yielding variety. Responsive to primary and high density planting. Fruits are round, weighing 150 g, pink pulp suitable for both table and processing.

Swetha : It is a selection from apple colour. Plants are semi vigorous, medium height and prolific bearer. Fruits are round weighing 225g, white pulp with good keeping quality.

Banarsi Surkha: Trees are medium sized with broadcrown, round fruits with smooth surface, pink pulp with high seed content.