Divisi
Guava wilt
· Fungal
Photo: Adesolive · CC0
Guava wilt is a soil-borne fungal disease (mainly Nalanthamala psidii and Fusarium species) that attacks guava through the roots and clogs the tree's water pipes (the vascular system that carries water up from the roots). Starved of water, the tree yellows, wilts, dies back branch by branch and finally dies. It travels in soil, water, tools, roots and young nursery plants, and once it is in an orchard it can kill tree after tree.
Sidon quintin · CC BY-SA 4.0
Why it matters
Guava wilt is a tree-killer, not just a leaf spot. Once it takes hold in an orchard it can wipe out up to 80% of your trees, and a full-grown guava you have fed and watered for years can be dead within a season or two. The fungus lives in the soil and inside the wood where no spray can reach it, so there is no cure once a tree is infected — everything you do is about stopping it reaching your other trees and never planting it into the ground in the first place.
When to act
First branches showing sudden yellowing, wilting and dieback on an established tree; presence of the disease anywhere in the orchard.
This guidance is general, compiled from published agronomic references including FAO and CABI. Thresholds and timing shift with your crop, your variety and the season.
In much of the region a spray is simply called mushonga — medicine. But a chemical group you cannot name is one you cannot rotate, and a product you did not write down has no pre-harvest interval you can observe. Mushonga, and other farming words →
The full guava wilt field guide
- Identify it
- Scout for it
- Control it
16 field-guide sections in the app
The full guide to guava wilt — every symptom to check, how and when to walk your field looking for it, and the controls that actually work, ranked. Built into your crop plan, so you are told to look before it costs you a harvest.
Crops it affects
Frequently asked questions
How do I identify guava wilt?
The first thing you see: on an otherwise healthy grown tree, the leaves on one branch or one side suddenly turn pale yellow and wilt — they hang limp as if the tree is thirsty, even when the soil is wet. Watering does not bring them back.
When should I take action against guava wilt?
First branches showing sudden yellowing, wilting and dieback on an established tree; presence of the disease anywhere in the orchard.
How do I control guava wilt?
Prevent it first — this is your strongest tool. Start every new tree with clean, disease-free nursery stock on well-drained land, never in low, waterlogged spots. Do not plant guava again where guava has just died of wilt, and avoid moving soil, water or tools from a sick area to a clean one.
Which crops does guava wilt affect?
Among the crops covered here: Guava.
Catch it before it costs you a harvest
Divisi builds scouting into your crop plan — it tells you when to walk your field, what to look for at that stage, and what to do when you find it. Free for farmers, works offline.
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