CULTIVATION OF

POMEGRANATE
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.
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.
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.
BONSAI DEVELOPMENT
 

    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.
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.
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.

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.
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.

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.

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.

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.
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.
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.
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.
 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.
 Fruit Set
 Dhokla 63.8% Bedana 63%.
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.
DRIP IRRIGATION IS ALSO ADVISED IN
POMEGRANATE
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.
 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 Nitrogen Phosphorus Potassium

(years) g/plant

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

 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.
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.
HARVESTING & CARE AFTER
HARVESTING

o Fruit becomes ready for harvesting in 5-7 months.

o Color change of the skin from green to reddish yellow or
yellow or brown.
o Fruit become somewhat soft.
o Ridges of the fruit become flat.
o Ridges of the fruit disappear and become round.
o When tapped produce metallic sound or cracking
sound.
o Immediately after harvesting move the fruit to pack
houses.
HARVEST THE FRUIT WITH
SECATEURS/CLIPPERS
SORTING OF FRUITS , TRANSPORT
TO PACK HOUSES/MARKETS

o Sort out the fruit as per the size maturity blemishes.

o Pack them in bamboo baskets wooden crates or card
board boxes with a cushioning of paddy straw or dry
grass or paper cuttings.
o Transport as quickly as to the markets.
SORTING
PACKING
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.
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.
INSECTS PESTS

Important insect pests are

 Pomegranate butterfly,

 Bark eating caterpillar,

 Sap sucking insects (aphids, mealy bugs, thrips).

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.
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.
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.
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.
IMPORTANT DISEASES
 Leaf spot
 Fruit rot
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..
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
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.
CONTROL MEASURES
 Remove all affected twigs, fruit and burn them.
 Spray dithane Z-78 at 0.2% at fortnightly interval.
REFERENCES
 Dhillon W S (2013) Fruit Production in India Narendra
Publications House New Delhi-11006 (India).
 Bal J S Fruit Growing
THANK YOU