Evaluation of Guava Cultivars for Physico-Chemical Characteristics

Guava (Psidium guajava), the apple of the tropics is the fourth most important fruit in India, after mango, banana and citrus. It is highly nutritious, rich in ascorbic acid and minerals. A guava contains more than five times as much vitamin C as orange. The flesh and seeds are also useful source of pectin. Efforts are underway in many guava producing countries to develop new guava varieties suitable for processing, high yield and quality fruits, both for domestic and export markets. The present study thus aims at studying the physico-chemical characteristics of selected guava cultivars so as to aid in horticultural breeding.