This document provides information on pomegranate production in Pakistan. It discusses the origin and distribution of pomegranates, botanical descriptions, soil and climate needs, varieties grown in Pakistan, propagation methods, cultural practices including planting, irrigation, fertilization, insects and diseases affecting the crop, and harvesting. The key points are that pomegranates thrive in semi-arid climates, are drought tolerant, and are an important fruit crop in Pakistan with a total production of 50,109 hectares and 13,283 tons in 2005-06.

2. PPoommeeggrraannaattee
Mudusser Hussain 2005-ag-1888
Syed Ali Raza 2005-ag-1423
Haibatullah Asad 2005-ag-1475
Abbas Raza 2005-ag-1899
Ahmed Shire Ali 2005-ag-1908
Rehmatullah 2005-ag-1780
Imdad-ul-Haq 2005-ag-1782
Uzair Malik 2005-ag-1854
Mudusser Hussain 2005-ag-1888
Syed Ali Raza 2005-ag-1423
Haibatullah Asad 2005-ag-1475
Abbas Raza 2005-ag-1899
Ahmed Shire Ali 2005-ag-1908
Rehmatullah 2005-ag-1780
Imdad-ul-Haq 2005-ag-1782
Uzair Malik 2005-ag-1854

3. Introduction
• Total Production 50,109 Hectares (2005-06)
• Total Area 13,283 Tones
• Bestowed on Bani-Israel
• All parts of the tree are source of tannin for
curing leather
• Yields citric acid and sodium citrate for
pharmaceutical purposes
• Bark of the stem and root contains several
alkaloids including isopelletierine which is active
against tapeworms.
• Considered beneficial in Leprosy

4. Origin and Distribution:
• Originated in W. Asia, probably in the
vicinity of Iran
• Subsequently been distributed west to the
Mediterranean and east to Afghanistan,
Pakistan, and India
• In Pakistan, it is wild in Baluchistan, the
Salt Range, Waziristan, Kurram, Chitral,
Dir, Hazara and Azad Kashmir
• Found abundantly in the Kagan valley.

5. Botanical Description
• Botanical Name Punica granatum L.
• Family Punicaceae
• Plants are small trees or large shrubs, with lenceolate
leaves 2-6cm long
• Tree shape depends on lay-out system
• Trained as open vase shape for better light penetration
• Flowers scarlet red or white, 5 succulent, triangular
sepals,
• 5 petals alternate to sepal nodes
• Pistil polycarpellary syncarpous.
• Fruit is berry
• Seed is pink-red, fleshy testa

6. Soil & Climate
• Thrives on calcareous, alkaline soil and on deep, acidic
loam
• Grows on wide range of soils in between extremes
• The species is primarily mild-temperate to subtropical
• Adapted to regions with cool winters and hot summers
• It can be severely injured by temperatures below 12º F
• Plant favors a semi-arid climate and is extremely drought
-tolerant.

7. Varieties
• Ahmar
• Aswad
• Halwa
• Qandhari
• Bedana
• Dholka
• Muskat-Red
• Wonderful
• Spanish Ruby

8. Propagation
• Sexually by Seeds
– Seeds germinate easily without going through a rest period
– Trees are not true to variety grown from seed.
• Asexually by means of hardwood or softwood cuttings or
air-layering.
– Trees, grown from softwood cuttings make late in the growing
season
– Hardwood cuttings are the easiest and most satisfactory method
of growing pomegranates
– Suckers from a parent plant can be taken up and transplanted.
– Grafting has never been successful, so no special rootstalk

9. Cultural Practices
• Planting Distance
– Pomegranate trees do not come into good
commercial production for 5 or 6 years.
– Close plantation may increase early production.
– The standard planting distance is 20 x 20 feet
• Irrigation
– Survives log periods of drought, with poor fruit
setting
– If properly irrigated grows vigorously
– Restricted irrigation in winter and regular in summer
– After blooming and fruit set, regular irrigation is
required

10. • Irrigation
– If irrigation is not provided fortnightly in April-
July, causes poor fruit production
– During winter, monthly irrigation is enough
• Fertilization
– Mature Tree requires 500 N/year, in Splits
– Excessive or late application may delay fruit
maturity
– Zinc deficiency is cured by foliar zinc sprays in
dormant season
– Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) application
haven't proved to improve the growth yet

11. Insects
• Pomegranate butterfly (Virachola isocrates)
– Lays eggs on flower-buds and the calyx of developing fruits
– In a few days the caterpillars enter the fruit by way of the calyx
– These fruit borers may cause loss of an entire crop unless the
flowers are sprayed 2 times 30 days apart.
• Stem Borer (Pleuroplaconema)
– Causes Twig die-back and malformation of fruit
• Leaf-roller (Platynola stultana)
– Larvae cause channels to appear in the rind where they feed under
leaves
– The fruit usually rots just inside the entry location
• Cure
– Proper insecticide must be sprayed before the appearance of symptoms
– Healthy and proper sanitary conditions must be maintained

12. Disease
• Head Rot
– fruit Damage, caused by Alternaria Fungus
– Infection takes place in the bloom and progresses to the interior
of the fruit
– Usually due to rains during blooming
– Central cavity is destroyed but rind remains healthy
• Dry Rot
– Caused due to Phomopsis sp. or Zythia versoniana may destroy
as much as 80% of the crop
– Excessive rain during the ripening season may induce soft rot.
– A post-harvest rot can be caused by Alternaria solani
– Particularly in cracked fruits
• Corrective Measures
– Proper Cu-Based Fungicide Spray

13. Training
• Trained to a bush, single- or multiple-trunked
tree
• Multi-trunk system is preferred
• Pruning and tying with ropes for support
may be needed for the first 3 or 4 years or
until trunks are large and rigid enough to
support the developing top.

14. Pruning
• Light thinning out is practiced and no heading
back is done
• In winter to maintain shape and good bearing
surface
• short spurs on 2- or 3-year-old wood growing
mostly on the outer edge of the tree produce
flowers.
• Remove weak or dead limbs during the next
growing season
• Basal suckers should be removed periodically to
promote growth form the main trunk of the newly
planted tree

15. Harvesting
• Picking begins in August before fruit is
fully mature
• Average production is 5 to 6 tons per acre
• Fruit may split on reaching maturity on
tree due to rain
• Harvest fruit with clippers and bags