Lucknow, Jan 11 (IANS): The Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (CISH) in Lucknow has formed a team of scientists to visit Prayagraj, Kaushambhi and other areas that are a part of the guava producing belt, to find out the reasons that have led to the failure of the winter crop of the fruit.

Prayagraj, Kaushambhi, Kanpur and Lucknow are known for guava production and sizeable quantities are sent to other states every year.

However, this year, the yield has been abysmally poor and Uttar Pradesh is now bringing in guava from Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and other states.

CISH director, Shailendra Rajan, said: "Change in weather is an obvious reason, but to know more and suggest ways to improve the production, we need to go into details."

Guava has two cycles of production -- in monsoon and winter.

"Good production during monsoon adversely affects yield during winter which seems to be the case this time," Rajan said.

The monsoon crop in Uttar Pradesh is usually low on quality being less sweet, smaller in size and infested with larvae. Winter crop is better on all counts.

A present, the guava being sold in the market is from Chhattisgarh. This guava is unusually large in size -- almost the size of musk melon-less sweet and harder than ones grown in Uttar Pradesh.