Pruning techniques affect flowering, fruiting, yield and fruit biochemical traits in guava under transitory sub-tropical conditions

The manuscript highlights the following points•Uneven seasonal weather fluctuations have been posing a challenge for sufficient amount of good quality tropical fruit production in the dry and low humid period.•Among four levels of pruning by 0 cm (control), 15 cm, 30 cm, and 45 cm shoot-tip removal at spring (early March), monsoon (early June) and autumn (early September), pruning by 30 cm in autumn exhibited superiority over other combinations in guava.•Yearly and quarterly documentation revealed that both spring and autumn pruning had statistically similar yearly yield. But spring pruning had maximum harvestable fruits in the wet season (June–November), while autumn pruning governed the dry season (December–May) harvest having considerable fruits in other seasons too.•Fruits harvested during March–May had the best edible quality, while June–August and September–November harvests had inferior quality.•Pruning lengths of 30 and 45 cm exhibited superior similar fruit quality traits in guava. However, extended vegetative flourishment as well as profuse flowering and fruiting in 30 cm pruning, made it the best yielder.AbstractProduction of quality fruits in the dry and low humid October–May period has been a challenge in the tropics and sub-tropics having wide weather fluctuations throughout the year. Henceforth, the research aimed at investigating the seasonal variations in vegetative developments as well as flowering, fruiting, yield, and fruit quality of guava emphasizing the off-seasonality by pruning 0 cm (control), 15 cm, 30 cm, and 45 cm from shoot-tip, once a year at spring (early March), monsoon (early June) and autumn (early September) under such atmospheric implications. Yearly and quarterly documentation at wet (June–August and September–November) and dry (December–February and March–May) seasons revealed that pruning in spring and autumn exhibited statistical parity for higher yearly yield of 31.71 kg and 31.58 kg plant−1, respectively. Moreover, spring pruning had maximum yield in the wet season (23.94 kg plant−1), while autumn pruning governed the dry season production (18.11 kg plant−1) having a notable wet period yield (13.47 kg plant−1). Considering the yearly and quarterly in March–May and December–February harvests, autumn pruning exhibited statistical supremacy for total soluble solids, titratable acidity, total sugar, vitamin C, and specific gravity. However, pruning time didn't influence the fruit physiochemical traits at the June–August and September–November quarters producing fruits of inferior quality compared to those of March–May and December–February harvests. On the other hand, pruning lengths of 30 cm and 45 cm demonstrated statistical consistency for auspicious vegetative, reproductive and fruit biochemical properties. Meanwhile, 30 cm pruning produced maximum number of flowers (224.71 plant−1) and fruits (155.89 plant−1), consequently the highest yield (38.38 kg plant−1). Treatment interactions too ascertained that off-season production of superior quality guava can be enhanced by 30 cm shoot-tip pruning in autumn without compromising the year-round harvests.