Overview on guava, pineapple, wax apple, sugar apple research and production in Vietnam

In Vietnam, guava (Psidium guajava) is cultivated around the country for mostly fresh domestic consumption under small scale of 1.000 to 2.000 m² per household; under field conditions, many techniques have been transferred to and applied by growers e.g., pruning, training, fertilizer application and bagging. Since 1999, SOFRI has collected and introduced 27 cultivars/lines from a breeding program; intercropping of guava in citrus orchards for repelling (Diaphorina citri) the vector of greening disease. Pineapple (Ananas comosus) is grown in a large area of 38,854 ha with a production of 533.384 t. 'Smooth Cayenne' is widely grown in the North, while in the South, the 'Queen' cultivar is mainly grown for canning and for export. Many works have been done in this crop such as planting distance, density and orchard design, fertilizer treatment, flower induction, mass multiplication, breeding program and especially biological control of mealybug - wilt and Phytophthora diseases. Sixteen cultivars/lines belong to 'Queen' and 31 'Cayenne' group have been collected for germplasm conservation and breeding program at SOFRI. Wax apple or water apple (Syzygium sp.) is widely grown for fresh consumption only, it is considered as a minor fruit in Vietnam. SOFRI has collected 25 cultivars/lines for conservation and breeding program of water apple.