This document provides information on the cultivation of pomegranate. It discusses that pomegranate is native to Iran and India is the world's largest producer, with Maharashtra producing 73% of India's pomegranate. It requires hot, dry climates and is commercially cultivated in several Indian states. Several popular varieties are described along with their characteristics. Cultural practices like propagation, planting, irrigation, training, pruning, harvesting and post-harvest care are outlined. Finally, the document discusses pests like fruit borer and bark eating caterpillar, and diseases like leaf spot and fruit rot along with their management.

1. Cultivation Of Pomegranate

2. 1. General Information
• Order : Myrtales.
• Family : Punicaceae.
• Scientific name : Punica granatum L.
• Chromosome Number : 2n = 2x = 16,18.
• Synonyms : 1. Punica florida Salisb.
2. Punica grandiflora hort. ex Steud.
3.Punica nana L.
4. Punica spinosa Lam.
• Sub tropical fruit
• Fruit type : Blausta.
• Edible portion : Aril.
• Non climacteric fruit.
• Low maintenance cost.

4. 2. area and distribution
• Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is one of the commercially important
fruit crops of India. It is native to Iran (Persia).
• India ranks first with respect to pomegranate area and production in the
world.
• Pomegranate is cultivated commercially only in Maharashtra. Small scale
plantations are also seen in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu ,
Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana.
• Maharashtra contribute about 73% of the total area followed by
Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
• India is exporting pomegranate to UAE, Netherlands, UK, Saudi Arabia,
Russia, Bangladesh, Egypt, Nepal and Oman.

5. 3. Industrial uses
• The fruit are mainly used for dessert purposes.
• The fresh fruit is of exquisite quality while its processed products like
bottled juice, syrups and jelly are highly appreciated.
• The juice is considered useful for patients suffering from leprosy.
• The fruit juice easily ferments and may be used foe the production of
wine.
• Citric acid and sodium citrate are produced from juice.
• It is best to cure chronic stomach ailment.
• The pomegranate seed contains oil which has a potential for
industrial use.

10. Bonsai development

12. 4. Agro-climatic requirements
Pomegranate grows well under semi-arid conditions and can be grown up to
an altitude of 1800 m above sea level. It thrives well under hot, dry summer
and cold winter provided irrigation facilities are available. The tree requires
hot and dry climate during fruit development and ripening. Pomegranate tree
is deciduous in areas of low winter temperature and an evergreen or partially
deciduous in tropical and sub-tropical conditions. It can tolerate frost to a
considerable extent in dormant stage, but is injured at temperature below -
110 C.
• Well drained, sandy loan to deep loamy or alluvial soils is suitable for
cultivation.
• It is rated as salt hardy fruit plant.
• Temperature range : 38 degree Celsius.
• Height : 1800m above sea level.
• The plant bears well under irrigation so there should be adequate
supply of irrigation water of good quality.

13. 5. Varieties Cultivated
Important pomegranate varieties cultivated in India are:
• Alandi or Vadki
• Dholka
• Kandhari
• Ganesh (GB I)
• Muskat
• Nabha
• G 137, P 23, P 26, Mridula, Aarakta, Jyoti, Ruby, IIHR Selection,
Yercaud 1 and Co 1.

14. Ganesh
• It is an improved variety known as GBG No. 1.
• Ganesh is a seedling selection by Dr. G.S. Cheema at Pune.
• It is a selection from Alandi and considered be the best variety.
• It is a high yielding variety and is a good cropper.
• The flesh is pinkish and has juice with agreeable taste.
• The fruit is medium in size and has soft seeds.

15. Alandi
• Fruit medium in size, fleshy testa, blood red or deep pink with
sweet slightly acidic juice.
• Seeds are very hard.
• The variety is named after the name of the village where it was
grown extensively.

16. DHOKLA
• Fruit large size, rind greenish white, fleshy testa, pinkish white or
whitish with sweet juice.
• Seeds soft.
• Juice is acidic.
• It is medium cropper.
• It is an important variety of Gujarat.

17. KANDHARI
• It produces large fruit.
• The rind is deep red.
• The flesh is a dark red or deep pink.
• The juice is slightly acidic.
• The seeds are hard.
• The variety is successfully grown in Himachal Pradesh.

18. Muskat
• This variety is also largely grown.
• Fruits small to medium in size.
• Rind is somewhat thick.
• Fleshy testa, with moderately sweet juice.
• The seeds are rosy in color.
• Fruits are tasty.

19. NABHA
• Tree is medium in growth, fruit skin yellowish and smooth.
• Cracking medium.
• Juice is 65%.
• The arils are light pink in color.
• Seeds are medium soft.
• Taste is good.

20. 6. propagation
• Pomegranate plants raised from seed vary widely and are desirable.
Thus, they must be raised vegetatively.
• Among them, cuttings are universally used for raising pomegranate
plants on commercial basis.
• The best time of making the cuttings is Dec.-Jan. when plants shed
leaves.
• The cuttings in the nursery fields are planted directly after making
them from the plants.
• Pomegranate may also be propagated by air-layering or gootee.
Treatment with 10000 ppm Butyric acid in lanolin as carrier was
found to improve rooting.

21. 7. Planting Operation
• Adopt a Spacing of 5x5m in Square System of planting.
• Pit size 60x60x60 cm.
• Refill the pit with top soil mixed with 20-25Kg FYM/Compost +
1Kg SSP on basal.
• The best time of planting pomegranate in northern India is
dormant period i.e. January to mid February and in south India
during monsoon season.

22. 8. Flowering and fruiting
• Starts cropping in 3-4 year planting.
• Produces 3 crops in a year under tropical conditions.
• In Western India, 3 flowering seasons and in Northern India, 2
flowering seasons have been reported.

24. • Anthesis in Punjab started at 8 AM and is completed by 4 PM
with a peak 2 PM.
• The stigma is receptive one day before anthesia and remained
receptive for up to 5 days.
• About 90% of pollen germinates.

25. • Fruit Set
• Dhokla 63.8% Bedana 63%.

26. 9. ORCHARD CULTURAL PRACTICES
 Irrigation
• Though drought resistant, Pomegranate has to be irrigated for
commercial yields.
• Regular irrigation from flowering till harvesting is necessary,
otherwise flowers drop and fruits show cracking.
• In winter, the interval may be 8-10 days and in summer 4-6.

27. Drip Irrigation Is Also Advised In Pomegranate

28. Inter cultivation/inter culture
• Shallow cultivation in the inter spaces to suppress the weeds, to
improve cultivation, infiltration &conservation of soil moisture.
• Inter cultivation by ploughing may be done as per the bahar
preferred.
• Mulch the basin for conservation of moisture & suppress the
weeds during the period.

29. Manuring
• Follow the region wise recommended schedule.
• Apply manure in the beginning of monsoon for decomposition
and fertilizer at frequent intervals in split doses.
• Apply the manure and fertilizer in a trench dug around the plant
at a distance.
• Irrigate immediately after manuring.
Age of plant (years) Nitrogen Phosphorus
g/plant
Potassium
1½ to 2 250 125 125
2 ½ to 3 500 125 125
3 ½ to 4 500 125 250
4 and above 625 250 250

30.  Training and pruning
• From second year onwards, established plants may
be trained to multiple stem system of training.
• Regular pruning is necessary , remove water
sources, weak crotches, dead and died, twigs, criss-
crossing.
• Shoots and old spun ,after harvest of fruits every
time.
• Apply Bordeaux pest to the cut end.

31. Crop regulation
• Flowering can be induced by bahar treatments:
• Mrig bahar: June-July.
• Hasth bahar: Sept- Oct.
• Ambe bahar: Feb- Mar.
• In these treatments, fertilizer and irrigation is regulated.
• POLLINATION
• Both self and cross pollination is done.
• Greater fruit under hand pollination is recorded and pollination
under natural conditions i.e. open pollinated.

32. Harvesting & care after harvesting
o Fruit becomes ready for harvesting in 5-7 months.
oColor change of the skin from green to reddish yellow or yellow or
brown.
oFruit become somewhat soft.
o Ridges of the fruit become flat.
oRidges of the fruit disappear and become round.
o When tapped produce metallic sound or cracking sound.
oImmediately after harvesting move the fruit to pack houses.

33. Harvest the fruit with secateurs/clippers

34. SORTING OF FRUITS , TRANSPORT TO PACK
HOUSES/MARKETS
o Sort out the fruit as per the size maturity blemishes.
oPack them in bamboo baskets wooden crates or card board boxes
with a cushioning of paddy straw or dry grass or paper cuttings.
oTransport as quickly as to the markets.

35. sorting

36. packing

37. Cracking or splitting of fruits
• Due to Bo and Ca deficiency.
• Further attack of insects or
fungal attack on the cracked
fruits. So, fruits become unfit for
marketing.
• Mrig bahar crop is more
susceptible to cracking than the
crop of others bahars.

38. control measures
> To cure, apply light irrigations.
>Plant wind breaks around the orchard.
>Spray borax @ of 0.1%.
>In the month of June, give a spray application of GA3 at 250
ppm.

39. Insects pests
Important insect pests are
• Pomegranate butterfly,
• Bark eating caterpillar,
• Sap sucking insects (aphids, mealy bugs, thrips).

40. POMEGRANATE FRUIT BORER
Virachola isocrates
Common name: Anar Butterfly
• Damage symptoms:
• Offensive smell and excreta of
caterpillars coming out of
the entry holes with excreta
stuck around the holes.
• The fruits rot and drop off.
• The holes ultimately expose the
rest of the fruit to disease, and
typically rot off the tree.

41. Control measures
• Collection and destruction of fallen fruits (Pre-bloom to harvest).
Also remove and destroy all the affected fruits (fruits with exit holes)
to reduce the infestation.
• Spray of Neem Seed Kernel Extract (NSKE-5%) or Neem oil (3 %) in
the 3rd week of May. Repeat the spray twice in the Ist week of July at
15 days interval. These neem based insecticides act as ovipositional
deterrent.
• Bagging of fruits with muslin cloth or butter paper bags just after
fruit set has been found effective.

42. BARK EATING CATERPILLAR
Indarbela quadrinotata walker
• Damage symptoms:
• Holes on the trunk, Wood dust
and faecal matter hanging in the
form of a web around the
affected portion.
• Severe damage can result in the
death of attacked stem.
• Blackish larva can be observed
underneath the fresh webbing.

43. CONTROL MEASURES
• The webs around the affected portion should be cleaned.
• Cotton swab soaked in petrol or kerosene should be inserted in the
holes and sealed with mud.
• Alternate sprays with Carbaryl @ 2.5 g/litre of water or Quinalphos
@ 2 ml/litre of water or Methomyl @ 3.5 g /litre of water is effective
in controlling the pest.

44. Important diseases
• Leaf spot
• Fruit rot

45. leaf spot and fruit spot
Xanthomonas Punicae
• Disease symptoms:
• Appearance of one to several
small water soaked, dark
colored irregular spots on leaves
resulting in premature
defoliation under severe cases.
• The pathogen also infects stem
and branches causing girdling
and cracking symptoms.
• Spots on fruits were dark brown
irregular slightly raised with oily
appearance, which split open
with L-shaped cracks under
severe cases..

46. Cultural control
• Proper plant & row spacing.
• Selection of disease free seedlings for fresh planting.
• Use of plenty of organics + micronutrients + recommended NPK.
• Spray 0.2% captan or Dithane M-45 at fortnight interval

47. Fruit rot
phomopsis sp.
• Disease symptoms
• The flowers are affected and fail
to set fruit.
• The young fruits may drop
prematurely.
• Yellow or black spots appear all
over the fruit.
• The disease spreads through
seeds of affected fruits.
• The incidence is wide spread
during rainy season.

48. CONTROL MEASURES
• Remove all affected twigs, fruit and burn them.
• Spray dithane Z-78 at 0.2% at fortnightly interval.

49. references
• Dhillon W S (2013) Fruit Production in India Narendra Publications
House New Delhi-11006 (India).
• Bal J S Fruit Growing

50. THANK YOU