Guava decline: 'complex disease syndrome become worst enemy of trees'

Guava Decline, a major threat and complex disease syndrome has become worst enemy of trees of this fruit and all the orchards in Sharakpur Tehsil have been completely affected from this disease. This was disclosed at a meeting arranged by the Punjab Agriculture Research Board (PARB) on 'Guava Decline' to identify researchable issues of guava on scientific grounds and to discuss future strategies for research.
"PARB has received research projects on Guava and this meeting will lead us towards specific areas of research" said Dr Mubarik Ali who chaired the meeting. Pakistan is the second largest country in producing guava after India and the total area under cultivation is 50-thousand hector. Sharakpur Tehsil alone contributes 5427 acres for the cultivation of guava. Unfortunately the presentation of Agriculture extension Department showed that it's becoming worst enemy and all the Guava orchards of Sharakpur Tehsil have now been completely affected from this disease. The common symptoms of the disease are death of branches, leaves and rotten roots.
It also highlighted other factors like inter- cropping, poor drainage, flood irrigation, non availability of true to types plants, old planting material, improper use of fertilisers and pesticides and de-blossoming with sticks are responsible for the disease." 60 percent crops damaged due to de-blossoming of flowers through bats, said Malik Mohsin Abbas representative of HRI Faisalabad.
President Guava growers association Iqbal Khan in his presentation informed that export value of guava is declining due to poor marketing channels and shelf life. "Processing units should be well equipped with latest technologies and research must be enhanced to save the future of this important fruit" he added. He also suggested raising awareness among general masses about the nutritional value of guava. Plant Pathologist Dr Ghulam Mohi ud deen informed that disease survey has been done in Pakistan and more than five years age of plants are more at risk of this disease. He also commented that due to lack of research it is getting more severe. Replying to this Dr Mubarik Ali said that "Scientific research needs extensive data proved on scientific grounds because the results of individual experience on farm base will vary and not authentic to be used for research.
PARB has funded a project on "Clonal Propagation of Guava through softwood cutting", University of Agriculture Faisalabad, a five year project with a cost of 11.707 million. The project will develop true to type plants with good quality and uniform sized fruit.
Project Manager Dr Muhammad Jaffer Jaskani briefed about the status of the project by saying that survey of guava species and land has been done successfully in Punjab province and 26 selections are being made out of 50 guava orchards. Now it's morphological characterisation (plant growth habits, leaf shape, flowering, fruit and seed morphology and quality of selected germplasm will be recorded and after that clonal propagation will be done. "The best and cheap way of cutting is clonal multiplication and if it is successfully demonstrated on mass scale, the nurseries will adopt it that can create fruitful results" he added.
The researchable issues suggested by the participants were; availability of reliable statistical data, improve management practice, use of drip irrigation, chemical and biological control, standardised registered nurseries, availability of true to types plants, study of climatic conditions, enhancement of research facilities , modern fruit processing industry, use of High Dense Plants and research on rootstock.