Effects of Propagation Media and Branch Orientation on Rooting of Guava (Psidium guajava L.) Shoots Propagated by Air Layering in a Sub-tropical Environment

Guava (Psidium guajava L.) is a tropical fruit rich in vitamins and beneficial phytochemicals and thus often referred to as a super fruit. Despite the potential nutritional benefits of guava fruit, it has received little research to facilitate its wide-scale production in the Kingdom of Eswatini. This study was conducted with the aim of determining the effects of media and branch orientation on rooting of guava branches propagated by air layering. Media treatments used included vermiculite, compost, top soil, and media mix which was a mixture of top soil, pine sawdust and sand. Branches that were oriented towards the North East to South East and South West to North West directions in relation to the sun were selected for air layering. The experiment was a factorial arrangement laid out in a split plot design where there were 5 replications per treatment. Vermiculite wrapped branches showed the best adventitious root formation in relation to root length, root volume, root mass, rooting percentage and root number in comparison to other media treatments. North East to South East oriented branches produced superior adventitious root development than North West to South West orientated branches. Wrapping branches with vermiculite in combination with the selection of North East to South East oriented branches enhanced adventitious root development in air layered guava branches. It is recommended that farmers who wish to produce guavas of desired quality by air layering may select branches with the greatest exposure to the sun in the North East to South East directions using vermiculite or alternatively compost in the absence of vermiculite as propagation media.