GROWTH AND PHENOLOGY OF GUAVA (Psidium guajava L.) cv. “MEDIA CHINA” IN IGUALA, GUERRERO

Abstract

The growth of vegetative and reproductive organs, and the phenological behavior of guava trees (Psidium guajava L.) were studied in order to asses their adaptability to Iguala, Guerrero, México, where climate is hot and dry. Temperature fluctuated between 23 and 30 °C, with 1050 mm of rain accumulated from June to September; irrigation was applied from November 30th up to the next rain sea son. Guava trees presented three important sprouting peaks along the year; two in the summer, and the main occurred in Winter. The highest sprout elongation rates occurred in September (0.32 cm d^-1) and from December to February, with 0.28 cm d^-1; each sprout grew 1.2 cm, in the average, during one year. The formation of floral buds on guava trees occurred during the whole year, but mostly in Winter (December-February). Fruit development required 5 to 7 months after bloom to achieve commercial maturity. Fruits ripened almost anytime along the year, but the main production was from May to June, when each sprout produced up to 1.8 fruits. Therefore, guava production in Iguala could be regulated by water stress, defoliation and irrigation, in order to harvest at the most convenient season according to market price. In one year the trees yielded 9 kg of leaf biomass, which corresponded to a 60 m² of leaf area; in the same period the stem accumulated 52 % of total biomass, leaves 39 %, and reproductive organs 9 %, from which 8 % corresponded to fruits of all sizes.