~ 1316 ~ International Journal of Chemical Studies 2019; 7(5): 1316-1322 P-ISSN: 2349–8528 E-ISSN: 2321–4902 IJCS 2019; 7(5): 1316-1322 © 2019 IJCS Received: 04-07-2019 Accepted: 08-08-2019 Narendra Kumar Verma Department of Fruit Science, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Jhalawar, Agriculture University, Kota, Rajasthan, India Prerak Bhatnagar Department of Fruit Science, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Jhalawar, Agriculture University, Kota, Rajasthan, India J Singh Department of Fruit Science, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Jhalawar, Agriculture University, Kota, Rajasthan, India MK Sharma Department of Natural Resource Management, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Jhalawar, Agriculture University, Kota, Rajasthan, India Rahul Chopra Department of Natural Resource Management, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Jhalawar, Agriculture University, Kota, Rajasthan, India Ashok Kumar Department of Basic Science, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Jhalawar, Agriculture University, Kota, Rajasthan, India Correspondence Narendra Kumar Verma Department of Fruit Science, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Jhalawar, Agriculture University, Kota, Rajasthan, India Growth and development dynamics of Guava cv. L – 49 plants under consortium of vermicompost and phosphorus solubilizing bacteria Narendra Kumar Verma, Prerak Bhatnagar, J Singh, MK Sharma, Rahul Chopra and Ashok Kumar Abstract A field experiment entitled ʻʻEffect of Vermicompost and Phosphorus Solubilizing Bacteria (PSB) on Growth and Development of Guava cv. L - 49ʼʼ was conducted during the year 2018-19, at the Fruit Instructional Farm, Department of Fruit Science, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Jhalawar. The experiment consisted of different treatments of vermicompost and PSB and was laid out in Randomized Block Design. Amongst different treatments application, treatment T17 (7.5 kg vermicompost + 50 g PSB per plant application was found significantly superior over other treatments in terms of growth and development parameters such as per cent increase in plant height, rootstock girth, scion girth, number of shoots/plant, number of nodes/plant. T17 treatment has also exhibited better results in enhancing the organic carbon percentage, available N, P and K content of soil status and was found significantly superior over other treatments. Like-wise, soil pH and electrical conductivity also reduced significantly under T17 treatment as compared traits to other treatments. Overall, T17 treatment exhibited better plant growth and development combinations and improvement in soil health of guava cv. L - 49 plants as compared to other treatment of vermicompost and PSB. Keywords: Guava, vermicompost, PSB, growth and development Introduction Guava (Psidium guajava L.) is one of the most important top-rated tropical fruit rich in high profile nutrients and commercially cultivated fruit crop belonging to the family Myrtaceae. It is one of the commonest available fruits liked by the all section of society as a table fruit and is known as “apple of the tropics”. Guava is believed to have originated in tropical America and it was introduced in India by the Portuguese during 17 th century. It is the fifth most widely grown fruit crop of India. It is one of the hardiest fruit trees, adaptable to a wide range of soil and climate conditions. It is one of the hardiest among all the fruits in productivity, adaptability under diverse agro-climatic conditions, well known for its plethora of nutritional quality and hence aptly known as “Poor man’s apple”. Guava is classified taxonomically under genus Psidium, which consists of 150 species but only Psidium guajava has been exploited worldwide commercially. Guava is cultivated in tropical and subtropical parts of several countries including India, China, Thailand, Mexico and Brazil etc. Guava fruit is a powerhouse of nutraceuticals. The guava is shallow rooted shrub or small tree of spreading nature. It grows 3-10 meter in height. It produces sylleptic branches near to ground and often produces suckers from roots near base of trunk. It is long lived and hardy tree. The bark is smooth, greyish or reddish brown, peeling off in the flakes. Leaves are simple, opposite in pairs, elliptical to oblong. The upper surface of leaves is glabrous and finely pubescent beneath. Fruit bearing occurs in the leafaxils of current season shoots. Flowers are axillary, solitary and occur in 2-3 flowered cymes. Fruit is a berry, globose, ovoid or pyriform. The skin colour at maturity stage is pale green to yellow, mesocarp fleshy of varying thickness, white yellow, pink or red seeds are usually embedded in cavity of pulp as per identified colour of variety. Each fruit contains numerous tiny, Semi – hard edible seeds concentrated especially at its center within the core position. Guava fruit has pleasantly sweet and refreshingly acidic in flavor and emits sweet aroma. Guava fruit helps in reduction of high blood pressure, constipation, respiratory, disorders, and hyper cholesterolemia. The humble fruit is an excellent source of ascorbic acid three times higher than citrus fruits,