Lucknow-49 (Sardar)
Grafted, not from seed. Despite the name, selected in 1924 at Ganeshkhind, Pune, not Lucknow. Heavier than Allahabad Safeda with real wilt tolerance.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Guava
- Type
- Planting material
- Season
- All seasons
- Starts bearing
- Bearing from year 2–3 (grafted plant)
- Expected yield
- 180–220 q/ha at full bearing
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Disease resistance
- Comparatively more wilt-tolerant than Allahabad Safeda
- Release
- Selected in 1924 as a chance seedling of Allahabad Safeda at the Imperial Fruit Research Institute, Ganeshkhind, Pune, by Dr. Gurdev Singh Cheema with Dr. C.J. Saldanha and Dr. R.N. Kaul; the standout plant was formally designated 'L-49' in 1927.
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
Lucknow-49, also called Sardar, was not bred in Lucknow. In 1924 Dr. Gurdev Singh Cheema, with Dr. C.J. Saldanha and Dr. R.N. Kaul, selected promising seedlings of Allahabad Safeda at the Imperial Fruit Research Institute, Ganeshkhind, Pune. By 1927 the best plant was named L-49. It is a chance seedling of Allahabad Safeda, not a planned cross. In a yield trial by Dr. S.G. Bhalekar it gave the highest yield of the varieties compared, 56.39 kg per plant per year from about 334 fruits of about 168 g each. It is more dependable, larger-fruited and longer-keeping than Allahabad Safeda. TSS is 10–12%, similar to Allahabad Safeda. The skin is rough and the flesh creamy-white, smooth and juicy. It bronzes more easily than Allahabad Safeda, and its seed is also used to raise wilt-tolerant rootstock.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose Lucknow-49 (Sardar) if you want the guava most new north Indian orchards now plant. In the Bhalekar trial it gave the highest yield of the varieties compared, 56.39 kg per plant per year, with larger fruit and longer shelf life than Allahabad Safeda, and it is more wilt-tolerant. The trade-offs are rougher skin and more skin bronzing, and it is tolerant, not wilt-proof. Choose Allahabad Safeda only if your buyers insist on its smooth skin and your land has never had wilt. Choose Chittidar if you want a spotted fruit with more sugar and a reported wilt record.
Sowing & cultivation
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Outyields Allahabad Safeda, with more dependable yearly cropping, larger fruit and longer shelf life. This is why it replaced so much Allahabad Safeda planting.
- In one trial by Dr. S.G. Bhalekar it was the highest-yielding of the varieties compared, at 56.39 kg per plant per year.
- More wilt-tolerant than Allahabad Safeda. Its seed is also used to raise wilt-tolerant guava rootstock.
Things to consider
- The "Lucknow" in the name tells you where it was later multiplied for north Indian farmers, not where it was bred. CISH Lucknow was set up only in 1972. Say "selected at Pune in 1924" if a buyer asks.
- The skin bronzes more easily than Allahabad Safeda. If you sell on looks, plan for grading.
- It is more wilt-tolerant than Allahabad Safeda, not wilt-proof.
- Buy grafted or air-layered plants. Named guava varieties are propagated clonally, not from seed. Several Indian nurseries list it.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Uttar Pradesh
- Punjab
- Haryana
Grade for skin bronzing before you pack
Lucknow-49 gives a heavy crop of large fruit, but its skin bronzes more easily than Allahabad Safeda. A buyer who pays for looks will pay less for bronzed fruit.
Sort at the orchard, not at the mandi. Keep clean, evenly coloured fruit for the better lot and send the bronzed fruit to a separate, cheaper lot or to a processor.
Write down what share of your fruit falls in each lot for the first two seasons. That tells you whether the extra yield over Allahabad Safeda is still paying after grading.
Where the planting material comes from
This variety is a grafted plant: the variety on top, joined onto a rootstock below. Seed out of its fruit will not come up as this variety, so it cannot be kept as seed. Buy grafted plants from a registered nursery or a government farm, so the plant is true to the variety and free of disease.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Guava variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Starts bearing | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allahabad Safeda | A white-fleshed table guava for north Indian markets, on land that has never had guava wilt | Bearing from year 2–3 (grafted plant) | 150–200 q/ha at full bearing | Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh |
| Chittidar | An old-orchard replant in Uttar Pradesh where wilt has been a problem and you still want an Allahabad-type fruit | Bearing from year 2–3 (grafted plant) | 130–160 q/ha at full bearing | Uttar Pradesh |
| Lalit | A firm, pink-fleshed guava for fresh sale and for processing, from a CISH release | Winter crop | High | Uttar Pradesh |
| Lucknow-49 (Sardar)this page | A higher-yielding, more wilt-tolerant replacement for Allahabad Safeda, for north Indian table-fruit orchards | Bearing from year 2–3 (grafted plant) | 180–220 q/ha at full bearing | Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana |
| Pant Prabhat | A regular-bearing, soft-seeded table guava bred at Pantnagar for Uttarakhand | Early winter | High | Uttarakhand |
| Taiwan Pink | An early-bearing pink-fleshed guava for premium and export markets, bought from a private nursery | Managed cropping | Very high | Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh |
| VNR Bihi | A jumbo, firm white-fleshed guava for premium and long-distance markets, from a private nursery | Managed cropping | Very high | Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh |
Tools for this crop
The numbers you need next: how much seed to buy, whether the lot germinates, what the fertilizer bill looks like and what Guava is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Guava plot needs, corrected for the germination of the lot you bought.
- Seed Variety FinderFilter every Guava variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Guava into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Guava rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Guava seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
Where does Lucknow-49 (Sardar) actually come from, despite the name?
Not CISH Lucknow. It was selected in 1924 at the Imperial Fruit Research Institute in Ganeshkhind, Pune, by Dr. Gurdev Singh Cheema with Dr. C.J. Saldanha and Dr. R.N. Kaul, from Allahabad Safeda seedlings, and named L-49 in 1927. CISH Lucknow was set up only in 1972. The "Lucknow" in the name comes from later multiplication for north Indian farmers.
How much better does Lucknow-49 actually yield than Allahabad Safeda?
One cited trial by Dr. S.G. Bhalekar found Sardar (L-49) delivering the highest yield among varieties compared, averaging 56.39 kg per plant per year from about 334 fruits per plant — reported as more dependable and larger-fruited than Allahabad Safeda, though L-49 is also noted as more prone to skin bronzing.
How do I tell Lucknow-49 from Allahabad Safeda in the field?
Lucknow-49 has rougher skin, larger fruit and creamy-white smooth flesh, and it bronzes more easily. Allahabad Safeda is smoother and rounder. Both have about 10–12% TSS, so taste will not settle it. Check the skin and fruit size.
Is Sardar the same guava as Lucknow-49?
Yes. Sardar is the other name for Lucknow-49 (L-49). Nurseries and mandi traders may use either name, so ask for the plant by both names when you order.
Is Lucknow-49 safe from guava wilt?
No. It is more wilt-tolerant than Allahabad Safeda, but tolerant is not the same as safe. On land where wilt has killed trees, plant a small block first and keep checking it each season.
How much fruit should I expect from a Lucknow-49 tree?
In the Bhalekar trial it averaged 56.39 kg per plant per year, from about 334 fruits of about 168 g each. The yield card here gives 180–220 q/ha at full bearing. No plant spacing is published, so do not turn the per-plant figure into a per-hectare figure yourself.
Can I use Lucknow-49 seed to raise my own guava plants?
Its seed is used to raise wilt-tolerant rootstock, and that is the right use for it. Fruit trees are then grafted onto that rootstock. A tree grown from seed alone will not fruit like the parent, so do not plant seedlings as your orchard.
Sourced from: Development of Genome-Wide Functional Markers Using Draft Genome Assembly of Guava cv. Allahabad Safeda — PMC. editorial policy.