Fruit rot (guava)
Soft, spreading brown rot on maturing and stored fruit, often starting at the blossom end — a wet-season problem that the drier winter crop mostly escapes.
- Pathogen
- Various fungi, incl. Phytophthora spp.
- Starts at
- Often the blossom (stylar) end
- Favoured by
- Wet weather; fruit near damp soil
- Escapes it
- Drier winter crop
Overview
Fruit rot in guava is caused by several different fungi, including Phytophthora species, that enter mature or nearly-mature fruit and rot it from the inside. It often starts at the stylar (blossom) end of the fruit — the point opposite the stalk — and spreads as a soft, brown, spreading patch that ruins the fruit for sale.
Wet weather is the biggest driver: the fungi thrive when fruit sits close to damp soil or hangs in a humid, rain-soaked canopy, which is exactly the situation of the rainy-season guava crop. The drier winter crop largely escapes this problem, which is why growers who can manage cropping to favour the winter flush see far less fruit rot. Prompt harvesting, keeping fruit off wet ground, and good air movement through the canopy are the main everyday defences.
How to identify it
- Soft, brown, spreading rot on maturing or stored fruit, often beginning at the stylar (blossom) end — the point opposite the stalk.
- The rot spreads and softens the whole fruit within a few days in warm, humid conditions.
- Fruit lying on or close to wet soil, or picked late in a rain-soaked orchard, is affected first and worst.
- Rot can continue to develop after harvest, so fruit that looked sound at picking can be rotten within a day or two in storage.
What causes it and when
- Several fungi, including Phytophthora species, that infect maturing fruit, especially where it is wet or close to wet soil.
- The rainy-season crop is hit far harder than the drier winter crop, since the fungi need consistent moisture to establish and spread.
- Fruit hanging low, close to the ground, or lying on wet soil after falling is at highest risk.
- Humid, still air inside a dense, overgrown canopy keeps fruit surfaces wet for longer, which favours the disease.
Cultural & organic control
- Where the growing system allows, favour the drier winter (ambe bahar) crop over the rainy-season crop, which is far more prone to fruit rot.
- Keep fruit off wet soil — prop up or support low-hanging branches, and pick fallen fruit promptly rather than leaving it on damp ground.
- Prune to keep the canopy open, which lets air move through and fruit surfaces dry faster after rain.
- Harvest promptly once fruit is mature rather than leaving it to hang in wet weather.
Chemical control
- A recommended fungicide spray during a wet fruiting season can help protect maturing fruit on orchards with a history of heavy fruit rot.
- There is no cure once rot has set in — cull and remove affected fruit promptly so it does not become a source of spores for healthy fruit nearby.
- Confirm the current recommended fungicide, dose and timing for your area with your local Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK).
Prevent it coming back
- Grow the drier winter crop where your growing system allows, since it largely escapes this wet-weather disease.
- Keep fruit off wet soil and maintain an open, well-pruned canopy with good airflow every season.
- Do not let ripe or fallen fruit sit in humid conditions — pick and clear it promptly.
Crops most at risk
Where this problem is called out in our crop guides — open a crop for the full package of practices.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my guava fruit rot start from the blossom end?
The blossom (stylar) end — the point opposite the stalk — is where the flower parts were originally attached, and it often has small natural openings or scar tissue that make it an easy entry point for the fungi that cause fruit rot. Once inside, the rot spreads from there through the rest of the fruit, especially in wet, humid weather.
Does the season I grow my guava crop in actually change how much fruit rot I get?
Yes, substantially. The fungi that cause guava fruit rot need consistent moisture to establish and spread, so the rainy-season crop is hit far harder than the drier winter (ambe bahar) crop. Where your growing system allows a choice, favouring the winter crop is one of the most effective ways to cut fruit rot losses without any spray at all.
My fruit looked fine at picking but rotted in storage — what went wrong?
Guava fruit rot can already be present in the very early stages at harvest, invisible to the eye, and it keeps developing after the fruit is picked, especially if it was harvested wet or handled roughly. Picking promptly, avoiding fruit that has been sitting on wet soil, and handling it gently all reduce this, but some storage rot is hard to fully avoid in a wet season.
Symptoms and control measures follow ICAR, KVK and state agricultural-university package-of-practices; any named chemical is a registered use. Always read the product label and confirm the dose for your crop and zone. editorial policy.