The document provides information on tissue cultured pomegranate plant cultivation. It discusses key aspects such as variety selection, orchard establishment, planting methods, pruning, irrigation, fertilizer application, pest and disease management. The leading variety recommended is Bhagawa due to its large fruit size, sweet taste and high demand. Proper cultural practices including regular pruning, irrigation and fertilization are needed to establish high yielding orchards and ensure quality fruit production.

1. Tissue Cultured
Pomegranate Plants Cultivation
Presented by,
Rahul Mane
Sr. Manager (Sales & Marketing)
Cadila Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Agro Division, Ahmedabad
0091 9890200340, cadila.agro@gmail.com

2. Pomegranate
(Punica granatum)
Pomum: (Apple) granatus :(grainy)
or
seeded apple.

3. Major Growing Countries
Pomegranate originated in Iran.
India, Iran, China, USA and Turkey

4. India has occupied first position in the world
with respect to pomegranate area (1.25 lakh ha.)
and production (8.21 lakh tonnes)
Presently Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra
Pradesh and Gujarat are the leading states in
Pomegranate cultivation.

5. India has low productivity (6.57 tonnes /ha)
compared to Spain (18.5 tonnes/ha)
Export of Pomegranate from India increased
5 times in 2009-10 over 2002-03
Bright future for export in years to come.

6. Edible portion (arils) of Pomegranate
fruit.
• 50 to 60 percent of total fruit weight
• Includes 65 to 80 per cent juice and 15 to 25
percent seeds; 20 to 30 percent peel forms.
• Citric acid predominantly found in juice.
• Acidity below 0.6 percent.
• In Himalayan region, acidity may be 3.5 to 4.5
percent, used for anardana.
• The good source of antioxident.

7. Consumer performance
• Red colour skin
• Red colour arils (seeds)
• Red colour juice
• Uniformity in size
• Round in shape
• Big size fruit

8. Climate
• Climate: Light loving plant. Best fruits in arid region
having long, hot and dry summer.
• Sub-tropical (hot season longer, cold is milder)to
tropical (high temp. and humid)
• Western Himalayan region:1600 to 3300 m above
mean sea level.
• Deccan Plateau region: 270 to 900 m above mean
sea level.

9. Soil
• Almost all types of soil. Especially best
growing in alluvial soil (fine, fertile soil), good
drainage.
• Saline tolerant crop
• Water soluble salts like sulphates, chlorides
and sodium have negative effect on root zone.

10. Variety: Bhagawa
• Good demand for domestic and export market.
• Bigger fruit size, sweet.
• Glossy red colour fruit skin, arils and juice.
• Mature fruits in 180 days after flowering.
• Thick skin: Good for distant market.
• Present average rate: Rs. 40 to 100 per kg.

11. Orchard Establishment

12. Orchard Establishment
1. Long term investment
2. Well drained land with moderate slope 3-5
percent.
3. Assured electric supply for Irrigation facility.
4. Provision for fencing and wind brakes along
the boundary: Jamun, Casuarina (Suru), Silver
Oak.

13. Fencing

14. Planting system
• Variety: Bhagava
• Pit: 0.75 X 0.75 X 0.75 m
• Spacing: 4.5 X 3 m
• 740 plants per ha.
• Closer spacing may invite disease and pest
problem.
• Drench with 0.15 % Carbendazim + 0.2 %
Chlorpyriphos@2 to 4 lit/pit.

15. Use of Biofertilizers
• FYM:15 kg
• Vermi compost: 2 kg
• Neem cake: 1.5 kg
• Tricoderma: 25 gm.
• Phospate solubilising bacteria: 25 gm.
• Azatobactor: 25 gm.
• Kalisena (Aspergillus N.) and Josh
(Mycorrhiza): 25 gm each.

16. Planting
• Watering is done to allow soil to settle down.
• Use tissue cultured plants.
• Care: Earth ball should not break.
• Light irrigation is given after planting
immediately: drip irrigation.
• Season: February -March; July-August
• Just after planting some support required for
keep plant straight. Use 1 m long bamboo/
wooden stick. Tie one or two places with coconut
strings.

17. Planting on raised bed and in furrow

18. Bamboo support

19. Training System
• Earlier training and pruning was not a
common practice.
• But fast growth of the industry, awareness
created.
• Single stem or Multi stem (3-4 stems allowed)
training.
• Within 2 years after planting develop proper
canopy.

20. Training System

21. Pruning stages
A) Young tree formation:
1. Pruning starts after 6-8 months to develop
structural framework.
2. 3-4 main limbs with lowest branch starting
at 25-30 cm above the ground(single stem
training) or 3-4 stems (multi stem training).
3. Within 2 years after planting develop proper
canopy.

22. B) Maintenance pruning of bearing trees:
1. Pruning starts after third year.
2. Remove dead, diseased, broken and weak
branches.
3. Reduce tree height and width.
4. Improve light and air penetration.
5. Remove suckers from ground level.

23. Pruning technique
• A) Topping: Pruning is done to reduce height.
• In pre monsoon (May-June) or in winter(Dec-
January) after fruit harvesting.
• Applied organic manures and fertilizers after
topping.
• B) Skirting: Removal of lower tree branches.
This improves under tree access for irrigation,
weeding, fertilizers application.

24. New sprouts after pruning

25. Pruning tips:
• Regular part of tree management.
• Pruning minimises bending of branches and
staking.
• Sterilise pruning equipment : 3 % sodium
hypochloride.
• Heavy pruning should not be carried out in
hot weather; can result excessive growth.
• Avoid heavy pruning.

26. Flowering
• The flowers may be single or grouped in two or
three at the end of the branches.
• Generally cross pollination occurs by insect that
increases fruit set.
• Three seasons:
• A) Ambe bahar (January-February flowering)
• B) Mrig bahar (June-July flowering)
• C) Hasta bahar (Sept-Oct flowering )
• Ambe bahar is most preferred because of high
yield. We are recommending Hasta Bahar in
bacterial blight infected areas (best fruit quality).

27. Flowers

28. Flowers
• Male flower: are smaller bell shape or ovary
size.
• Intermediate flower: flower drops early or
mis-shaped fruits.
• Hermaphrodite flower: (male and female)
well developed ovary. (60 to 70 % flowers in
TC)
• Flowers open in between 11 am to 2 pm at 37
to 38 degree C.

29. Bahar Treatment
• Only one crop should be taken in a year.
• Giving forced rest by giving stress before flower
initiation.
• Stopping water for 30 to 35 days (in light soil) to
2 months (in sandy loam soil) before defoliation.
• In the last period of stress, defoliation is done
using ethrel 2to 2.5 ml/lit.
• Just after defoliation, (80 to 85 % leaf fall) light
pruning (15-20 cm) is done.

30. • Just after that light irrigation and recommended
dose of fertilizer is given.
• Then normal irrigation is recommended. Excess
irrigation avoided.
• The tree responds and new flush of flowering.
• Flowering starts within 30-60 days after first
irrigation.
• First male flowers appears.
• Subsequently hermaphrodite flowers appears.
• Fruit development.

31. Manures and Fertilizers
• Most of the root system distributed in top
60cm of soil and within 1 m of the stem.
• Manures and fertilizers are applied in ring or
small pits at 30-45 cm away from the main
stem below the tree canopy at 8-10 cm depth
and covered immediately.

32. Fertilizers application

33. Age of tree
(Yr)
FYM (Kg) Nitrogen (g) Phosphorus (g) Potash(g)
1 10 250 125 125
2 20 250 125 125
3 30 500 125 125
4 40 500 125 250
5 and above 45 625 250 250
1/3rd recommended dose of manures and
fertilizers applied just after pruning in circular
trenches (8-10 cm depth) at 40-45 cm away
from the main stem; cover with soil and applied
irrigation.

34. • Remaining 2/3 recommended dose applied in
split doses after defoliation and pruning.
• First split (basal)dose consist of:
a) 1/3 rd dose of N and K
b) Full dose of P
c) Neem cake @ 1 kg
d) Vermicompost @1 kg
e) Phorate 20 g
f) Biofertilizers 25 gm each

35. Two split doses of N and K at 3-4 weeks
interval.
One month before fruit harvest , schedule two
drip irrigations applications of calcium
nitrate 12.5 kg / ha/ application at 15 days
interval.

36. Water requirement
Age of the Tree-Yr (lit/day/tree)
Month 1 2 3 4 5 & above
Jan 2.7 8 20 30 40
Feb 2.8 10 28 40 55
Mar 2.9 11 30 45 57
April 3.2 12 35 50 60
May 3.5 13 35 50 65
June 2 7 21 30 40
July 1.5 6 15 25 30
Aug 1.3 5 14 20 27
Sept 1.3 5 14 20 27
Oct 1.5 6 19 27 35
Nov 1.8 7 18 27 35
Dec 1.7 6 18 25 30
* Approx. Depends on soil, climate and weather conditions.

37. Drip irrigation system

38. Critical Stages for Irrigations
e.g. Ambe Bahar at 4th year (lit/day/tree)
I- New leaf initiation (30 days): Jan (10)
II- Blooming and fruit set (60 days): Feb, Mar (30)
III- Fruit development and maturity (120 days):
April, July (50)
IV- Harvesting (30 days): Aug. (25)

39. Inter-cropping
• Can be taken in rainy season
• Low growing vegetables like onion, cabbage
etc
• Pulses
• Green manuring crops.
(in pre bearing orchards)

40. Inter-cropping

41. Weeding
• Can use black polythene mulch
• Can use organic mulches like paddy husk,
sugarcane trash, banana trash etc.
• Manual weeding is must.
• Use of herbicides with proper care:
Pre-emergence-Simazine (triazine)
Post-emergence-Glyphosate
*(Avoid higher dose of herbicides)

42. Mulching

43. Fruit quality enhancement
• Thinning of fruits at appropriate stage.
• 60-80 fruits on fully grown tree.
• Good colour at ripening in Dec-Feb. preferred
for export.
• Potassium application through foliar spray or
drip during fruit maturity.
• Yield: 15-20 tonnes / ha.

44. Important diseases and management
1. Bacterial blight (Telya): Oily spots can observe on
leaves, stem and fruits.
• Management: monthly spray
a) Streptocycline: 0.5 g/l
b) COC (copper oxy-chloride) : 2.5 g/l Or
a) Bronopol : 0.5 g/l
b) COC: 2.5 g/l
* Apply bordeaux paste(10 %) on cut portion of the tree.

45. Symptoms

46. 2. Wilt: Caused by fungus, wilting of plant.
Management:
a) Drench with chlorpyriphos 20 EC (2.5 ml/l) and
carbendazim 50 WP(2 g/l)
Or
b) Propiconazole 25 EC (2 ml/l)@ 5 lit/tree
Repeat the drenching 3-4 times at 20 days interval.

47. Thank you…..
Presented by,
Rahul Mane
Sr. Manager (Sales & Marketing)
Cadila Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Agro Division, Ahmedabad
0091 9890200340, cadila.agro@gmail.com