pests on guavas (forum)

Rick starts with ...
Hi I have pests attacking my Indian Guavas. Can anybody tell me what the problem is and how to treat it to minimise future losses.
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Time: 23rd January 2008 10:40am

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About the Author Rick
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Correy says...
You can always try the Wild may fruit fly control systems however if you can there is nothing like covering your guavas with a fruit fly proof net when they are about to harvest. That is what I am planning to do.

People have left some great comments relating to fruit fly and the guava tree here

Time: 2nd February 2008 2:07pm

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About the Author Correy
Woolloongabba, QLD
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Rick says...
Thanks Correy. I didn't think it was fruit fly. i have fruit fly on strawberry guavas but cnnot see where the fruit has been stung unlike the scars on the indian guavas. I have had some traps under all trees but this doesn't seem to have made a lot of difference.
Rick

Time: 2nd February 2008 7:04pm

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About the Author Rick
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Scott G says...
Hi Rick

That looks like a very destructive problem you have there.

My guava used to get some fruit fly attacks (before I netted it) and the damage could hardly be seen before the fruit ripened. So I would doubt your damage is from them.

I think this could be Anthracnose. It has been a wet period which is what the disease likes.

So if that is what it is then you need to keep the tree drier. More sun and wind are needed. Ok so stopping the rain is tricky :) but you could remove things that shade the tree, and things that act as a wind break for it. Also thin out the branches for better airflow through the tree. If you water it then do it in the morning so the sun can dry the tree off fast during the day. Water only the ground (not the leaves). Affected parts of the tree need to be removed and disposed of and not left on the ground at the base of the tree. You may consider regular applications of fungicide.


Time: 3rd February 2008 1:07am

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About the Author Scott G
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Rick says...
Hi Scott, I intend to cut all the trees back considerably when I get a dry period. That should help the airflow.I will start a spray program for next season as well. I already spray my mangoes for anthracnose so I will just do the same for these. I took some samples into the local co-op the other day and they thought it was fruit fly. To be sure next year I will spray for both. Rick

Time: 3rd February 2008 8:13am

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About the Author Rick
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SARATH says...
Spray periodically with insecticide once the fruit start setting. In East Malaysia they cover the fruit with a kind of paper leaving an opening at the bottom for the heat to escape. This protect the fruit from being attacked by fruit flies.
This week I plucked my first fruit in Sydney and so far no problem.

Time: 6th May 2008 7:59pm

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About the Author SARATH
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Rick says...
Thanks Sarath, I had just one fruit in a mesh type bag and that remained sting free so i guess it is fruit fly, they just attck the fruit so early on. Up here ther always seems to be some flowers on the trees but i guess tht is more due to the funny weather of the last few years. i have a mango in flower at present and also a stoneruit tree!
Rick

Time: 12th May 2008 5:30pm

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Godwin says...
Has anybody identified the real problem in the picture given above? I don't believe that it is the fruit fly causing that problem and neither can it be anthracnose. Please gurus can you identify the real causal agent, because here in Zambia this problem is very serious I also need information on controlor pest management information.

Time: 6th August 2009 7:51pm

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About the Author Godwin
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Speedy says...
It's most likely this little bug(ger)
http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_bugs/GreenCoonBugs.htm
It causes a problem with growing tip of papaya plants too.
A contant frustration on the sandy soils close to the coast while trying to grow papaya.
They'd suck the soft upper parts of the main stem and petioles causing the growing tip to colapse and die off.

Grrrrr! >:-#

Time: 6th August 2009 10:08pm

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amanda says...
It looks just like passionfriut scab 2 me.

Time: 6th August 2009 11:12pm

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amanda says...
PS Scab is a fungus - try a bordeaux spray - it won't hurt your tree if i am wrong :)

Time: 7th August 2009 1:02am

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amanda says...
Hi again - this link has a good picture of scab on a passionfruit...(but scab affects other plants as well) ... looks pretty similar do u think?

http://www.annettemcfarlane.com/diseaseID.htm

And some info from qld dpi:

What causes the scabby appearance of fruit in NSW in wet seasons?

The fungi Cladosporium herbarum and Cladosporium oxysporum cause the scabby appearance. Scab
was sometimes a problem in cooler areas in moist shady pockets of the plantation but can now be
found in more exposed plantings in the Tweed region. In the past, infections were generally not
serious enough to warrant treatment but recently the problem has escalated in some areas.
Attempts to control scab using a range of fungicides have been unsuccessful to date (see Problem
solver, page 17 of this update

Time: 7th August 2009 10:45am

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Godwin says...
I am not yet convinced that the problem is caused by scab. I was almost accepting it but when I closely looked at scap symptoms on guavas it did not much with one in the picture.This problem is more of entomological than pathological. We shall plate it and see the culture and examine the spore.

Time: 7th August 2009 5:30pm

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amanda says...
No prob's Godwin - although passionfruit are a hard shell fruit and guava soft - so it will not look the same. Interesting how the fruit (above) has actually ruptured open - this makes me think of a fungus more than anything - they are good at splitting bark, fruit etc (human skin too - just ask a tinea sufferer!) Good luck with your search! :)

Time: 7th August 2009 7:15pm

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Godwin says...
Am Plant Pathologist am not yet a farmer but soon. The farming community bring their diseases plant samples to us for identification hence is my interest in the discussion and unfortunately it not coming out. The answers I am seeing are too shallow. Help me.

Time: 8th August 2009 7:30pm

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About the Author Godwin
ZAMBIA
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amanda says...
Hi Godwin - this forum might not b the place for your answers - if u are a plant pathologist and we can't help u??

I would be getting out my trusty microscope and having a good look at some histopathology for starters.
Then I would be talking to colleagues in your area/neighbouring countires - you may have a disease that is not present in australia.

Time: 9th August 2009 9:29am

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Godwin says...
Any success? You said you will check with other people.

Time: 17th August 2009 7:46pm

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amanda says...
Sorry Godwin - I meant for you to check with experts in your country..? I can't help you here... it's not that easy to "diagnose" an infection - especially without photo's. Maybe someone else?

Time: 17th August 2009 9:25pm

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About the Author amanda19
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Brendan says...
Hi Rick & Godwin, I'd say your soil is too sour. Add dolomite, a good handfull to the sq. metre, scratch it into the soil, cover with lots of mulch and water in. Also, I'd add a bit of boron (borax) and Sulphate of Potash fertilizer as well. Spray the trees and fruit with 30g copperoxy chloride (a good tablespoon full) in 4.5 litres of water with 60ml of a good wetting agent. This will take a while to come good.

Time: 19th August 2009 7:14am

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About the Author Brendan
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Aahil says...
hi,
i'm having Red malaysian guava plants and started noticing somthing white wool like growth with small flying insects under the leaves as shown in the pictures.Can anybody tell me what the problem is and how to get rid of it
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Time: 12th October 2009 5:20am

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About the Author Aahil
kerala,india
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Wayne says...
Hello Aahil
I had exactly the same problem, to me they are aphids and I ended up fixing them by spraying with Lebaycid. I dare say there are more friendly sprays about but these critters were extremely thick on my tree and they took some killing.

Time: 12th October 2009 8:29am

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About the Author Wayne
Mackay QLD
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Aahil says...
THANKS Wayne,
let me use lebaycid and will let u know the outcome.Atleast i'm lucky,its just only on the leaves.thanks again.

Time: 13th October 2009 5:43am

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Sharma says...
Hi All forum members,
if you have any pests or disease in your plants start spraying the plant with neem oil and soap water mixture. it would do wonders for you.
regards,
Sharma

Time: 27th October 2009 2:56pm

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Sonya says...
I agree with you. As I saw one on my Guava tree the other day and I have these black spots as well...So you are spot on, pardon the pun!...So what to do now???

Time: 19th November 2009 6:22pm

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About the Author Sonya
Townsville QLD
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ad says...
It was because of helopeltis attack.

Time: 28th February 2011 8:11pm

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About the Author ad1
malaysia
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Diana says...
Does anyone know what the brown stuff on my guavas is?

I put fruit fly exclusion bags over as many branches as I could, and it seems worse under them so maybe it is worse in humidity. The worst cases seem to make the fruit go hard like wood. Could it be mites, or a fungal disease?

I didn't have this problem last year.

Thanks,

Diana.
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Time: 17th March 2011 8:13am

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paula-f says...
I have this problem with my red cherry quavas too Diana....would love to know what it is. My whole tree is covered with mosquito netting.

Time: 17th March 2011 9:34am

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About the Author paulaf1
SE Queensland
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BJ says...
Is it wind rub? I get it on my Yellow Cherry Guavas sometimes, that I bag in mosquito mesh bags. It doesnt really effect much other than the skin of the fruit though. I have noticed some hard fruits on the tropical guavas in my yard though. It seems, though, that some sort of boring insect gets into those fruit and slows ripening, it gets full of ants and goes all woody... Does that sound anything like what's going on on your trees Diana and Paula?

Time: 17th March 2011 12:44pm

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About the Author Theposterformerlyknownas
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Diana says...
Hi BJ,

Thanks for the reply. It is not wind rub on most of them, because it's all over (not just where it might rub), and it's on fruit in the open on the outside of the fruit at the tips of branches as well (just more in the mesh bags).

The woody guavas might be a different thing, I don't know. That affected all of my cherry guavas that were in mesh bags- it does look similar to the other brown stuff.

It is something about this year that didn't affect last year's crop, which makes me think it is related to high rainfall.

Almost no guavas are unblemished, they all have tiny holes, even ones in bags. Perhaps something smaller than a fruit fly is getting in?

If no-one knows, perhaps I will try some generic sprays for verious problems one at a time (pyrethrum? copper? sulphur? white oil??). It may be too late though.

Next year I'm going to saturate with spinosad.

Time: 17th March 2011 5:55pm

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About the Author Diana
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amanda says...
Hi Diana - I am going to go left of field here and suggest a trace element deficiency..? High rainfall can leach soils badly. I am thinking boron.

But - is the brown all over the fruit - or mainly on one side?

And were these one's in the pics covered with that mesh also?

If it were a really tiny sap sucker even - I am sure that u are an experienced enuf' gardener to have spotted it by now :)

There would be no harm in spraying with a copper spray, regardless. I spray my guavas while "I am it" !

(ps - do the leaves look like they have a fungal infection?
can u post a pic of a mature leaf and a small leaf too?)


Time: 18th March 2011 3:31am

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About the Author amanda19
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Peter says...
It might be thrips sucking on the fruit surface. The dead cells turn brown, but the flesh inside is unharmed. This year I have massive problems with it on my red cherry guavas and they also turned all leaves of my nearby Ugni silvery.
Garlic spray will kill those thrips. Also a chance that certain mites done the damage, anyway garlic spray will knock them all out.

Time: 18th March 2011 2:44pm

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About the Author Peter36
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Diana says...
Thanks, Peter and Amanda.

I think the thrips might be a possibility, I will spray some garlic spray when it stops raining.

Also the boron deficiency is possible, I have never given them any trace elements. They are a hedge at the edge of the front garden, so they often miss out when I am spreading fertiliser around. I think the little holes in many of them might be secondary.

I seem to be getting about half the crop (most of the bagged ones are OK to eat).

The brown is all over, but doesn't necessarily change the pulp inside.

I am going to take the skins off and make guava paste (a central american favourite recipe apparently).

Time: 20th March 2011 3:56pm

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amanda says...
Diana - u could try an experiment and put one of the badly damaged fruits in a jar (with glad wrap punctured with holes over the top) and keep it inside and see if 'anything' hatches out maybe..? Bit like a school project :))

It won't mean much if nothing does - but if something does then it might help.
Yum - guava paste! I am going to have a go at making tomatoe jelly (using gelatine) - just for fun! Don't know if it's possible - but I have tasted some wine jellies in the past that were divine!

Time: 21st March 2011 10:34am

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Tina says...
Hi, my red cherry guava tree is losing leaves, and half of the leaves have turned red. Is this a sign of deficiency or is this normal? Any help would be much appreciated.

Time: 8th November 2011 8:15am

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About the Author Tina1
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Hash says...
Hi all, I have 2 trees of The guava (not sure if imported or not) anyway the leaves are rusty color and the frist tree i plnted lost all its leaves after 2 months of planting although we did protect it from frosts, still lost its leaves all toghter, which might indicate more then just cold weather..
i have a second tree and it seems that
it too the leaves are withering and dying off..and some leaves have some sort of spots on them...rustick spots..anyway know how to deal with it?
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Time: 12th November 2011 1:57pm

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About the Author hash
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Seedbuzz says...
Thanks for sharing this information, You can find related information on seedbuzz.com also.

Where you can post you ads for free till 31st May.

Time: 16th May 2012 8:47pm

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sbagga says...
Visit article http://seedbuzz.com/knowledge-center/article/season-for-guava for your problem. this article may help you to overcome your guava problem.

Time: 17th May 2012 2:53pm

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About the Author sbagga
india
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Tlcrandall says...
Hi,

I've got a guava tree in my backyard and this is the second year since we planted it. Both years the fruit grows with these black scab like lesions.

Can I still eat them?

What is it?

How can I correct this?

Thanks!
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Time: 18th October 2014 9:04am

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hash says...
spray copper 2 time a year..that will fix it...

Time: 25th October 2014 11:20am

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Harry says...
Hi, something is attacking my Strawberry Guava tree. I suspect it is an aphid infestation, but I am not 100% sure. Does anyone know what this is?
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Time: 5th February 2015 5:58pm

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About the Author Harry
ROXBURGH PARK,3064,VIC
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For eddy says...
Looks like leaps which are aphids.

Time: 7th February 2015 10:57am

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Manly
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SMG1 says...
I'm also having problems with my guava. Having spent a bit of time on google, I'm thinking it's blossom end rot but would be grateful for advice from others who might know better.

Pictures attached. It affects every one of my fruit so that, before they get ripe, the fruit is spoiled. No obvious insect entry marks and no insects or maggots evident on or in the fruit.

The spoiled bit is very soft... almost translucent.

Any advice much appreciated
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Picture: 1
Picture: 2
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Picture: 4

Time: 25th May 2015 9:48am

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About the Author SMG1
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SMG1 says...
Bump...

Anybody got any ideas. Have added some agricultural lime working on the theory that calcium deficiency might be the problem. Didn't make any difference to last batch of fruit but I may have added the lime too late.

I have some new fruits coming on now and keen to finally get something I can eat.

Time: 28th November 2015 2:03pm

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About the Author SMG1
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Bernhard says...
Hi Rick, I planted a Guava tree four years back and get plenty of fruit, however I seem to have exactly the problem which you described a few years ago. Can you please advise what you ended up doing and what ended up helping you to eliminate the problem? Was it a fungus after all? I really look forward to get your feedback - thanks!
Regards, Bernhard


Time: 28th February 2016 12:51pm

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About the Author Bernhard
Buderim
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johan96 says...
Hello,
Organic pest control is less expensive than buying and applying pesticides, and it's safer for your garden, your family, the nature and the environment.

The easiest way to prevent insect damage in your garden is to discourage them from coming in the first place. A healthy garden is the best defense.

Pull out any weak plants. They may already be infected. If not, they will attract predators.

Build healthy, organic soil. Natural composting methods,.

Seaweed mulch or spray. Seaweed contains trace elements such as iron, zinc, barium, calcium, sulfur and magnesium, which promote healthy development in plants.

Minimize insect habitat. Clear garden area of debris and weeds which are breeding places for insects. Use clean mulch.

Inter-plant and rotate crops. Insect pests are often plant specific. When plantings are mixed, pests are less likely to spread throughout a crop.

Keep foliage dry. Water early so foliage will be dry for most of the day. Wet foliage encourages insect and fungal damage to your plants.

visit here for more: http://www.hometermitecontrolsydney.com.au/termite-inspection/

Time: 29th June 2017 6:16pm

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