Phenology, productivity, and fruit quality of guava with cream and pink pulp under tropical conditions in Mexico [Fenología, productividad y calidad de fruto de guayaba pulpa crema y rosa en clima tropical en México]

Guava fruit crop could be a local alternative to increase the diversity of produced fruits or to be included in agro-industrial processes. The object of this work was to determine the adaptation, productivity and fruit quality of guava genotypes under the tropical conditions of Santiago Ixcuintla, Nayarit, Mexico. The study was carried out from 2008 to 2012. Four guava varieties (Calvillo Siglo XXI, Merita, Caxcana, Huejucar) and two selections (S12, S20) having cream pulp color, and three guava varieties (Paluma, Enana Roja Cubana, Hidrozac) and one selection (S56) having pink pulp color were evaluated. The experiment was laid out on a completely random design with eight replicates and a single guava tree used as experimental plot. The evaluated variables were: flowering and harvest dates, and fruit yield and quality. The cream pulp guava genotypes showed an early production requiring less heat units as compared to those of pink pulp (1880 vs 2360). Under the local conditions it was feasible to obtain up to three harvests per year, depending on the flowering time. Cream pulp genotypes Calvillo Siglo XXI, S20, S12, Merita and Caxcana were the most productive (20-40 kg/tree). Cultivars Paluma, Enana Roja Cubana and Hidrozac and S56 did not show a good fruit yield potential (2-8 kg/tree). Given the weight reached of cream pulp fruits could be classified as 'extra' size. The Merita variety had the highest content of total soluble solids. © 2015, Interciencia Association. All rights reserved