POMEGRANATE

Pomegranate known as Anar in Hindi is commercial crop of India. Its origin lies in Persia. It is a rich source of carbohydrates, proteins, calcium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin C. Pomegranate eaten as fresh fruit also its juice is cool and refreshing. Along with juice, each and every part of pomegranate has some medicinal value. Its root and peel used to cure diarrhoea, dysentery and worm killing in the intestines. Its petals are used for preparing dyes. Maharashtra is major producer of Pomegranate. Other states like Rajasthan, Karnataka, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana are also cultivating pomegranate on small scale.

It can be grown on variety of soils. For optimum growth and yield, it required deep loamy and alluvial soils. It is tolerant to loamy and slightly alkaline soils. It is also cultivated on poor soils. Also medium and black soils are suitable for pomegranate cultivation.

Kabul: Big sized fruit, fruit peel is deep yellow in color.

Kandhari: Fruits are of big size with yellow coloured peel and red splash. TSS of juice varies from 13-15%.

Muscet Red: Medium sized fruit, thick peel, sweet juice and seed is soft.

Paper Cell: Medium sized fruit, thick peel, seed is soft and red in color and juice is sweet in taste.

Ganesh: Soft seeds which are red in color, sweet juice, good crop.

Other state varieties:

Seedless (Bedana): Fruits are medium to large in size. Fruits are sweet, very juicy and soft seeded. Per fruit has 250-500gm weight.

Spin Dandan: Large sized fruits having almost 600-700gm weight, light white color fruit, internally deep red and sweet in taste, multifunctional, probability of fruit cracking is medium.

Chawla: Spreading tree, full flowering in end week of April, 105gm approximately fruit weight, fruit size is 53.1 X 58.3mm, color is pinkish yellow, thin peel, hard and sweet seed, produces 2.50kg per tree, fruit gets mature in first week of September.

Bhagwa: Late sown variety, suitable for eat and transportation, less fruit cracking, fruit has 250-300gm weight, very attractive, orange color, soft and shiny, matures in mid-October, round seed, red in color, soft and sweet, total soluble content is 13% and acidic content is 0.61% and has good storage capacity.

Jyothi: This variety is dwarf and evergreen. Gives average juice yield of 75% on the basis of grains weight. TSS content of juice is about 17%. Gives average yield 3.2 ton per acre.

Mridula: Fruits having red coloured rind. Its grains are also blood red in colour. The juice is 78 percent on the basis of grain weight. TSS content of juice is about 17-18%.

Ruby: It fruits are of small size and having red coloured. Average Juice percentage is 80 and TSS content is about 15%.

Jodhpur Local:  Fruits are of Medium size with hard rind. Fruits are juicy, sweet and seeds are moderately hard.
 

Plough the land for two - three times and bring soil to fine tilth. After then carry out planking operation to make land leveled and uniform.

Time of sowing
Mainly sowing is done in December to January month.

Spacing
Optimum spacing is depending on soil type and climate. For Pomegranate planting, if square system of planting is adopted, use spacing of 5m x 5m.

Sowing Depth
For sowing, dug Pits of 60 x 60 x 60 cm size about a month prior to planting. Keep open pit under the sun for a fortnight. Then filled pits with top soil mixed with 20kg of farmyard manure and 1 kg of super phosphate. After filling pit, apply water. It will settle down the soil.

Method of sowing
Transplanting method is used.

Pomegranate is propagated through air layering method.  Air layering is done in rainy season as well as in November-December month. For air layering, select one to two year old, healthy, mature shoot having length of 45-60cm with pencil thickness.
 

Seedling Treatment
Before sowing, dipped seedling or cutting in IBA solution of 1000PPM@1gm/litre of water.
 

For initial two-three years, Intercropping is possible. Take vegetables, legumes or green manure crops as intercrop.

Nutrient Requirement (gm/tree)

During first year apply well decomposed cowdung@10kg/plant, CAN@500gm, SSP@600gm and MOP@250gm per plant at the time of transplanting. Apply whole quantity of cowdung, SSP, MOP and half quantity of Nitrogen in December-January month.  Rest of the nitrogen is added in two an equal split i.e. first is given before flowering and then second half dose is given after fruit set.

Apply irrigation immediately after planting. After then give water at interval of 3 days upto 10-15 days after planting.
 
In rainy season, provide drainage facility as it cannot withstand in water logged conditions. In summer apply water at interval of 7-10 days and in winter increased irrigation interval to 10-15 days.

Irregular irrigation can lead to flower drop. Water stress during fruit development stage and heavy watering after water stress leads to fruit cracking, and then fruit drop. So provide regular and sufficient irrigation from flowering to harvesting stage. Pomegranate responds well to drip irrigation. Drip irrigation, not only saves water but gives higher yield in small quantity of water.
 

To control weeds, mulching can be done. Along with weed control, it helps to conserved moisture and reduces evaporation loss.

Training and Pruning help in growth of fresh healthy shoots. It removes old also disease branches and avoids overcrowding of branches. It also maintains proper shape of plant.

• Pest and their control:
  

Thrips: If thrips infestation is observed, take spray of Fipronil 80%WP@20ml/15Ltr of water.

Fruit Fly: It lay eggs on fruit rind/skin. After hatching they feed on pulp. Affected fruits get rot and then drop.

Keep cleanliness in field. At time of flowering and fruit development, take spray of Carbaryl 50WP@2-4gm or Quinalphos 25EC@2ml/Ltr of water.

Mealy Bug: Its nymphs, start crawling on trees and feed on young flowers. Also secrete honeydew like substance and black mould is developed on it.

As a preventive measure, fastened, 25cm width Polythene(400gauge) strip around tree trunk to stop ascent of nymphs before hatching of eggs in month of November and December. Keep orchard clean. If infestation is observed, take spray of Thiamethoxam 25WG@0.25gm/Ltr or Imidaclopird 17 SL@0.35ml/Ltr or Dimethoate 30 EC@2ml/Ltr of water.
 

Aphid: Infestation of Aphids is observed take Spray of Thiamethoxam 25WG@0.20gm/Ltr or Imidacloprid @0.35ml/Ltr of water.

Shot hole borer: If infestation is observed, to control take spray of Chlorpyriphos20EC@2ml/Ltr or Cypermethrin @60ml/150Ltr respectively.

• Disease and their control:
  

Fruit spots: If infestation is observed take spray of Mancozeb or Copper oxychloride@2.5gm/Ltr of water.

Fruit rot: To control fruit rot, take spray of Streptocycline@50gm + Copper oxychloride@400gm/150Ltr of water. Take second spray 15 days after first spraying.

Wilt: If infestation is observed, do drenching of Carbendazim@5gm/5Ltr to infected plant also other plants surrounding diseases plants.

After flowering, fruits get mature within 5-6months. When fruit changes its color from green to light yellow or red i.e. fruits start ripening, it is optimum time for harvesting. Avoid delay in harvesting as it will lead to fruit cracking and thus leads to yield loss.

After harvesting, store fruits in shades for a one week. It will help in hardening of fruit skin. So that less damage is observed in transportation. Fruits are graded according to weight.