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Andrew L Myrthong2014-12-126

Dept. of Pomology and Floriculture

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Scientific classificationKingdom : Plantae

Division : Magnoliophyta

Class : Magnoliopsida

Subclass : Rosidae

Order : Myrtales

Family : Punicaceae

Genus : Punica

Species : granatum

Binomial name : Punica granatum

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Common Names: Pomegranate, Granada (Spanish), Grenade (French), Anar (Hindi)

Origin: The pomegranate is native of Iran

Adaptation:

• Altitude – 1850m MSL

• Semi-arid with cool winter and hot summer

• Deciduous or Evergreen

• Hot and dry climate during fruit development and ripening

• Optimum temperature – 380C

• Sweetness ∞ temperature

• Deep loamy to alluvial soil

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World Scenario

Popular in Eastern as well as Western parts of theworld

Mediterranean region, Spain, Iran, India, Turkey, SouthEast Asia, Afghanistan, tropical Africa, parts of USA etc

It is grown for its fully luscious grains called ‘Arils’; thefruits are very attractive with sweet acidic taste

The fruits are mainly used for dessert purposes

The fruits are also processed to make juice, syrup,jam, jelly, wine, to flavour cakes, baked apples, etc

Of late, its nutritional and medicinal values are givenample importance

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Indian Scenario

According to the data published by National Horticulture Board of India

the area decreased from 109.00 thousand ha in 2008-09 to 107.00 thousand ha in 2010-11

similarly, the production has decreased from 807.00 thousand tons to 743.00 thousand tons during the same period

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Year Area in 000’ HA Production in 000’ MT

Productivity (MT/HA)

2008-09 109.00 807.00 7.40

2009-10 125.00 820.00 6.60

2010-11 107.00 743.00 6.90

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Two species:

Punica protopunica

• found wild in Socotra Island(Yemen)

Punica granatum: 2 subspecies

• Chlorocarpa - found in Trans Caucasus

• Porphyrocarpa - found in Central Asia

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CultivarsGanesh:

• Selection from ‘Alandi’

• Developed by Dr. Cheema atPune

• Prolific bearer, fruit very large, rind yellowish red, pinkish aril with soft seeds

• Commercial cultivar of Maharashtra

• The average yield ranges from 8-10 kg per tree.

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Phule Arakta:

• Pre-released in the year 1989, now released as ‘Phule Arakta’ by MPKV, Rahuri

• Heavy yielder, fruits are bigger in size

• sweet with soft seeds, bold red arils

• It also possess glossy, attractive, dark red skin

• High yield (30-35 kg/tree)

• Fruits are ready for harvesting within 120-135 days (Early variety)

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Mridula:

• Ganesh X Gul-E-Shah Red

• This variety has all the characters of the Ganesh variety except the arils are dark red in colour

• The colour of the arils in 'Ambe' bahar and 'Mrig' bahar is dark red in colour while it is pink during the 'Hasta' bahar

• The average fruit weight is 250-300 grams

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Bhagwa:

• The fruit is glossy red in colour with soft

seeds and high TSS

Dholka: Popular variety of Gujarat with fruits of large size, rind greenish yellow, flesh aril pinkish white seeds soft, juice acidic, suitable for processing

Jodhpur Local: Medium sized fruit with hard rind, fleshy aril light pink, sweet, juicy, seed moderately hard

Bassein Seedless : from Karnataka. Flowers throughout the yearFruit medium to large in size, rind brownish green, fleshy aril, TSS 16-17 0 Brix

Ruby: Multiple Hybrid from IIHR, yield 16-18t/ha

In South India, ‘Paper Shell’, ‘Spanish Ruby’, ‘Muscat Red’ & ‘Velladu’ have shown promise

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Balegal

Cloud

Crab

Early Wonderful

Fleshman

Green Globe

Home

King

Phoenicia:(Fenecia)

Sweet

Utah Sweet

Wonderful

Francis

Granada

Green Globe

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Botany

Shrub with multiple trunks and has a bushy appearance

Grows upto 5m when domesticated and more than 7m under wild condition

Deciduous tree

Young branches are polygonal (quadrangular) and round when mature

Stiff angular branches often spiny

Leaves oblanceolate, obtuse and acuminate

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Flowering occurs 1 month after bud break

Bears in both season growth on spurs

Terminal flowers are in cluster while flower on spurs are mostly solitary

Flower are red in colour with 5-8 crumbled petals

Three types: Hermaphrodite flowers (vase shaped) , male flowers (bell shaped) and intermediate

Cultivars with higher vase shaped to bell shaped ratio will have higher yield potential

Stigma receptive one day before anthesis and continues upto the second day. Anthesis completed in 3-5 hours

Self pollinated and cross pollinated

Heterostyly- hermaphrodite (pin) and male flowers (thrumb)

Flowers

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Fruit

Develops from the ovary and is a fleshy berry

Fruit is crowned by a prominent calyx

Connected to the tree with a short stalk

After fruit set, sepals change colour from orange red to green

In later stage of maturation colour changes again until final characteristic colour is obtained

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• The multi-ovule chambers (locules) are separated by membranous walls (septum) and fleshy mesocarp

• The chambers are organized in a nonsymmetricalway

• Usually the lower part of the fruit contains 2 to 3 chambers while its upper part has 6 to 9 chambers

• The chambers are filled with many seeds (arils)

• The arils contain a juicy edible layer

• Colour of the edible layer vary depending upon the variety

• The arils vary in size and the seeds vary in hardness

• The fruit ripens in 5-8 months

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Propagation

Seedlings:

Variation in characters

Low yield

Poor quality fruits

Air layering:

treatment with 10000ppm IBA in lanolin as carrier was found to improve rooting.

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Cutting:

Hardwood cutting is most common

One year old fully mature wood are utilised or

Suckers which arise from the base of the stem

Cuttings are 20-25cm long

IAA 200ppm or IBA 50ppm increased the rooting percentage

Set in beds with 1-2 buds above the soil for 1 year

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Micropropagation

Depends on factors such as genotype, explant, season, media and growth regulators

Mahisi et.al. (1991)- shoot tip as explant

Drazeta (1997)- apical vegetative bud as explant

Yang and Ludders(1993)- nodal leaf and stem as explant

Complete protocol for in vitro regeneration using cotyledonary nodes reported by Naiket.al. (2000)

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Planting and Plant density

Square or hexagonal system

Pit size: 60cm3

Spacing: 5 x 5m

Planting density is the yield contributing factor

Investigation at MPKV, Rahuri showed that increased plant density also increased yield per hectare without affecting fruit quality

1000 plants(4x2.5m) gave 2.30 time higher yield and 2.44 times more profit than normal density of 400 plants(5x5m).

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Training and pruning

Training:

Multiple stem training

Main stem is pinched at a height of about one metre from the ground surface

4-5 well distributed branches are allowed to grow on all sides

The desired shape is obtained within 2-3 years

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Training on a single stem is not advocated since

Tree produces suckers

Highly susceptible to stem borer

Plants are allowed to grow as a bush with a number of main shoots arising at ground level

Too many stems also hinder intercultureoperations

Maintenance of 3-4 stems per plant is recommended

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Pomegranate orchard

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Pruning:

Removal of suckers (water sprouts), dead and diseased branches

Developing a sound framework

Limited pruning of the bearing tree

Annual pruning during winter should be confined to shortening of the previous season’s growth

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Pruning delays bud sprouting, flower appearance and harvesting

Highest yield from unpruned trees

Pruned trees gave-

Better quality

Increases fruit size,juice content and TSS

Reduced sun scorched and internal breakdown

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Irrigation:

regular irrigation during initial phase

Also from flowering to ripening of fruits

Drip preferred over traditional check basin system

Manuring and fertilization:

FYM – 20kg per tree at the onset of monsoon

N- 1000g, P2O5- 1000g K20- 1500g per tree

Foliar spray of 0.25% ZnSO4, FeSO4, and MnSO4

and 0.15% boric acid increased yield

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Mulching:

Black polyethylene mulch resulted in the best plant growth, earliest flowering and highest yield

Intercropping:

Desirable since crop takes 4-5 years to come to good bearing

Low growing vegetables and pulse crops

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Crop Regulation:

Withheld watering two months prior to normal flowering season

After two months, applied manures and fertilizers and give light irrigation

3-4 days later, heavy irrigation at normal interval

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Three flowering season:

Ambe Bahar (February-March)

Mrig Bahar (June-July)

Hasta Bahar (September-October)

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Flower thinning:

Sevin (carbaryl) and NAA

Fruit growth and development:

Single sigmoid growth pattern

Linear increase in size, diameter, volume and weight except specific gravity which decreased gradually

Color changes from greenish to deep pink with red and yellow patches at maturity

Aril/rind and TSS/acidity ratio increases

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Effect of Growth Regulators:Desai et al. (1993)

NAA(250ppm) + carbaryl(0.7%) = large fruits(≥200g)

Manual removal of flowers + GA(20ppm)= Large fruits with

highest mean weight(224.2g)

2,4-D @ 20ppm on cv. Ganesh at flowering and 45 and 90

days later increased fruit length, girth, weight and volume

Glutathione @ 25, 50 or 75 ppm applied 3-4 weeks after

anthesis improved the TSS:Acid ratio and decreased the

percentage of fruit cracking

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Effect of Bagging:

Hussein et al. (1994) reported

Bagging reduced the percentage of fruit fly (Virachola

livia)

Increased fruit yield per tree, individual fruit weight and

size, TSS:acid ratio

Improves the rind colour and reduced the rust patches

Reduced fruit cracking

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Harvesting and Yield:

Ready in 5-7 months after the appearance of blossoms

Skin turns slightly yellow

The fruit gives a metallic sound when tapped

Tree starts yielding from 4th year onwards giving 20-25 fruits per tree

10th year 100-150 fruits per tree

Average yield : 200-250 fruits per tree

Economic yield : 25-30 years

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Ripening and storage

It is a non climacteric fruit

Can be kept well for 2 months at 0oC, one month at 4.5oC

and 15 days at room temperature

Bavistin @0.2% enhanced shelf life upto 30 days at room

temperature and prevents post harvest fungal rot

RH: 80-85%

CA storage with 6.0:3.0%(CO2:O2) showed minimal quality

and weight loss

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Pests

Pomegranate butterfly or fruit borer:

Virachola isocrates; V. livia

Most important and widely distributed

Symptoms: Offensive smell, excreta of caterpillars

come out of the entry holes

Apply metacid 50 EC 1ml/l at fortnight interval

Foliar application of synthetic pyrethroids @ 150g a.i/ha

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Symptoms of fruit borer

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Bark eating caterpillar: Inderbela tetraonis; I.

quadrinotata

Bores the bark and feed inside old trees

10-12 holes in a badly infected tree

One caterpillar in each hole

Injecting quinalphos @0.05%

and fenvalerate @0.01% along

with petrol and kerosene

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Stem borer:

Olenecampetus bilobus

Common in neglected orchards

Makes hole and bore through the

branches

Main trunk is mostly affected

Control same as bark eating

caterpillar

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Leaf footed plant bug:

Leptoglossus mambranaceus

Adult bugs damaga the fruits

Pierce the rind of the ripening fruits with their

strong proboscis

Infested fruits drop down

Spray malathion @ 0.1%

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Sap sucking insects:

Mealy bugs, scale insects, white flies, thrips, aphids, mites

Prune the affected parts

Spray malathion @ 0.1%

Bag worm: Clania cramen

Carob moth: Ectomyelois ceratoniae

Nematode: Meloidogyne Incognita and M. javanica

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Diseases

Fruit spot: Dreschslora rostrata

Small irregular spots surrounded by greenish yellow border

Infestation extends to inner tissues causing browning of the aril

Pruning the dead and diseased branches

Spray dithane M-45 or captan @ 500g in 200l of water

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Fruit rot:

1. Glomerella cingulata

Discoloration of fruits from lower part or the sides

Discolored areas become brown to black

Whole fruit rots in a week

2. Phomopsis sp

Rainy season

Flowers fail to set fruit

Young fruits drop

Yellow to black spot all over the fruit

Pruning affected twigs and fruits and burning them

Bavistin @0.5%, Dithane M-45 @ 0.25% spray

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Leaf spot: Bacteria- Xanthomonas punicae

Fungi- Pseudocercospora punicae, Curvularia lunata, Colletotrichum

gleosporoides

Indefinite black color spots on upper surface of the leaf extending rapidly

Blackish or brownish spots on the fruits

Spraying dithane M-45@ 0.2%, Captan @ 0.1% at 15 DI or Copper

oxychloride @ 0.2%

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Postharvest diseases Aspergillus rot - Aspergillus nidulans

Internal rot – Aspergillus clavatus

Soft rot – Rhizopus arrhizus

Spicaria rot – Spicaria spp.

Black mould – Aspergillus niger

Bortrydiplodia rot – B. theobromae

Penicillium rot – Penicillium expansum

Control by preinfection dip in 500ppm 2,4-D or spraying of

sulphur compounds on packing straw

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Botrydiplodia rot Black mould

Aspergillus rot

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DisordersFruit cracking or splitting:

Frequent in dry atmosphere of the arid regions

Cause: (i)Due to sudden change in soil moisture

content (ii)Deficiency of Ca or B

Fruits though sweeter lose keeping quality and unfit

for shipment

Adequate and regular

irrigation and interculture

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Sun Scald:

• Causes: Fruits on trees mainly facing

direct sun rays reveal sun scald.

Improper pruning is one of the reasons

• Nature of damage: Peel of affected fruits reveal sun

Burn symptoms reducing market value of such

fruits

• Detection and diagnosis : Affected fruits reveal sun

burn particularly on the fruit surface

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Internal break down of arils:

• Causes: Complex (Exact cause to be established) Delayed

harvesting, Varietal character, Nutritional deficiency etc

• Nature of damage :blackening and rotting of arils and the

fruits become unfit for consumption

• Detection and diagnosis : Mainly

affects fruits which appear healthy

but when cut, reveal disco loured ,

rotten and shrivelled arils. Studies

on diagnosing the disease are

inconclusive

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Pomegranate decline:

Cause: sudden drop in

temperature in late

autumn and early

winter when the trees

are not fully dormant

Detection and

diagnosis: yellowing,

wilting and death of

some branches

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Breeding and Improvement

Three methods:

1. Collection of superior germplasm

from indigenous and exotic sources

2. Improvement by selection

3. Controlled hybridization

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Objectives

To obtain suitable types which produce small soft seeds with

attractive red (pink) aril

To develop easily manageable upright growth habit of the tree

To develop thornless twigs, a desirable character as it helps in

cultural management of the tree

To develop varieties resistant to fruit borer (Virachola isocrates)

and fruit rot (Phomopsis spp.)

To develop varieties free from fruit cracking

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Biotechnology

The problem of stem borer can be tackled by using Bt

genes

Protocols for somatic embryogenesis are available

Biochemical and molecular markers can be use for

characterizing wide amount of variability and genetic

resources

Anther culture shown promising

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Grade Grade requirements Grade tolerances

Extra class • superior quality• shape, and colour typical of

the variety• free of defects

5% (no. or wt.)not satisfying the requirements of the grade, but meeting those of class I grade

Class I • good quality• a slight defect in shape,

colour and skin (i.e. scars, scratches,scraps and blemishes) not exceeding 5% of the total surface area

10% of pomegranates not satisfying the requirements of the class, but meeting those of class II

Class II Defects as above not exceeding 10% of the total surface area

10% by of pomegranates not satisfying the requirements of the grade, but meeting the minimum requirements

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Provision concerning sizing

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Packaging

• For export purposes, a cardboard corrugated fibreboard box of

4.0 or 5.0 kg capacity is used

• The dimensions of such boxes depending upon the capacity are:

S.No. 4 Kg Box 5 Kg Box

1 375 x 275 x 100 mm 480 x 300 x 100 mm

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Packed pomegranates ready for shipment

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Exports and export potential

A. Domestic Strengths for Exporting Pomegranate:

India is the largest producer of pomegranates in the world

India produces finest varieties of pomegranate having soft seeds,

very less acids and very attractive colour of the fruits and grains

With adoption of different “bahars”, India can supply

pomegranates almost throughout the year

Maximum cultivation of pomegranate is in states of Maharashtra

and North Western Karnataka which are very close to the western

port of Mumbai for exporting to Gulf and European countries

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Agri Export Zone for enhancing exports of pomegranate has

been established in Maharashtra state

There is strong research support for scientific cultivation of

pomegranate like Nrc for Pomegranate Solapur, MPKV, and

IIHR

Bhagwa variety has high acceptance in European market

Farmers have been trained for export quality production and

have registered with GLOBALGAP certification

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B. Exports:

The major Markets of India’s pomegranate during the year 2011-12

were UAE, Bangladesh, Netherlands, UK, Saudi Arabia and Russia.

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C. Measures for enhancing competitiveness for export

Our efforts needs to be towards lowering production cost by increasing productivity

Setting up special production areas in east zone for export to SE Asian countries through eastern port

Packhouse facilities need to be established

Popularising the brand

Manipulation of flowering to avoid competition from other exporting countries

Endorsing to other countries by holding fruit fairs, exhibitions etc

Health Benefits of Pomegranate

Super food

Rich in antioxidants

Good for heart

Reduce blood sugar levels

Reduce blood pressure

Eliminate free radicals

Harmonize immune system

Slows down ageing

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References

Bose, T. K., Patil, A. V. and Karale, A.R. 2002. Pomegranate. In: Bose, T.

K., Mitra, S. K. and Sanyal, D. (eds), Fruits: Tropical and Subtropical

Volume-II(3rd Ed.).Naya Udyog, Calcutta, pp. 125-162

APEDA. Pomegranate [On-line]. Available:agriexchange.apeda.gov.in/Mar

ket%20 Profile/MOA/Product/Pomegranate.pdf (1 march 2015)

Holland, D., Hatib, K. and Bar-Ya’akov, I. 2009. Pomegranate: Botany,

Horticulture, Breeding. In: Janick, J.(ed.) Hortic. Rev. 35:127-191

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