POMEGRANATE (Punica granatum) - Efresh India

POMEGRANATE
(Punica granatum)
pests and disease.
Success of any fruit plant mainly depends upon
the availability of right type of seeds and planting
material. Non availability of genuine seed and
planting material is one of the major constraints in
obtaining expected productivity in fruits. It is,
therefore very essential that
seedlings/saplings/cuttings of the fruit plants must
be sourced from consistently high yielding mother
plants raised in scientific way and free from major
CULTIVATION:
SOIL: The pomegranate is not very particular about its soil requirement and can be
grown on diverse types of soil. The tree gives very good yield in deep loamy soil or
alluvial soil, it can tolerate soils which are limy and slightly alkaline. It can also be
grown in medium or light black soils of atleast 60cm deep.
CLIMATE: The tree, can adopt a wide range of climatic conditions and can be grown
all over India, it is a subtropical fruit tree, growing best in semi-arid climate with cool
winter and hot summer. The quality of fruits adversely affected in humid climate. It is
a hardy plant and can thrive even under desert conditions.

POLLINATION: Pomegranate is self pollinated as well as cross pollinated crop.
However, hand pollination and pollination under natural conditions give rise to greater
percentage of fruit set.
VARIETIES: Popular Indian varieties of pomegranate are Ganesh, Arakta, Mrudula,
Bhagwa,and Muskati Red .
CULTIVATION PRACTICES IN BRIF:
Land preparation: 2-3 deep ploughings, followed by leveling of land .Spacing 5m
x5m, according to square or hexagonal system. The pits of 60cmX60cm X60cm are
dug for planting of seedlings.
Propagation: Pomegranate plant is a rounded shrub or small tree that can reach 20 to
30 feet in height. It is propagated by raising seedlings, but the seedlings vary too
much. The low yields, poor fruit quality is mainly due to seed propagation. Vegetative
propagation is more dependable for multiplication. Therefore, common method for
propagation is by rooting hard wood cuttings. The cuttings are taken from fully mature
wood, about one- year- old. The cuttings are usually taken from suckers which spring
from the base of main stem and should be 25-30cm long. If cutting are treated with
200ppm IAA(Iodole Acetic Acid), profuse root system is developed. The rooting is
more effective in rainy season. They are planted in beds during monsoon season at
distance of about 40 to 60cm apart. A year after, rooted cuttings are lifted out with a
ball of earth around their roots and transplanted in the orchard. The pomegranate
may also be propagated by air layering or gootee.
PLANTING: The normal spacing of planting is 5m X 5m, however, the spacing of 5
X 2m gave highest yield as compared to the normal spacing 5 X 5m without affecting
the fruit quality. In each pit, 20-25kg FYM or compost, 1kg SSP mixed with soil is

filled upto land level. In the rainy season, the grafts/seedlings of desired variety are
planted. For normal spacing 400 grafts are required for one hectare area.
TRAINING: Allow pomegranate plants to grow in bush form with a number of
shoots arising at ground level. Young plants are properly trained to form a single stem
with a number of well distributed scaffold limbs. All the side shoots should be
removed at a time of planting.
PRUNING: Pomegranate does not usually require pruning except for removing the
suckers and giving a shape to the tree.
IRRIGATION: Pomegranate responds well to irrigation. In bed or basin system,
small round basins are made at the base of each tree and filled with water. Regular
irrigation is essential during fruiting season, as irregular moisture conditions results in
cracking of fruits.
MAURING AND FERTILIZERS: Well rotten FYM is applied to pomegranate
plants at the rate of about 20kg per tree while planting. After this, about 20kg of FYM
is given to each plant every year at the break of Monsoon. Application of small
quantity of ammonium sulphate is also recommended.
Bearing orchards should be given 500gm N, 250gm P 2 O 5 and 250gm K2O/per
plant,as it has been found adequate for 4-6 years old bearing trees for economic yield.
INTERCROPPING: Low growing vegetables, pulses or green manure crop are
suggested to be grown as intercrop in between old trees till 4 to5 years of crop age.
PROPAGATION TECHNIQUES OF POMEGRANATE:
1. Seed: Propagation from seed is a very easy method. Seed propagation is also
economical than other methods of propagation. But the seedlings are not true to

type and can loose some of the good qualities of established cultivars. Therefore
,the seed propagation is not used in large scale production. It also takes longer
for a fruit producing plant to grow from seed than other methods.
2. Hardwood Cuttings: Hardwood cutting is most commonly used method for
propagation of pomegranate. The cuttings are taken from fully mature, about
one year old wood. The cuttings are taken from the base of the main stem and
should be 25-30cm long. Treat the cuttings with 200ppm IAA for profuse
root system. Cuttings should be planted during monsoon at a distance of about
40-60cm apart. A year after, rooted cuttings are lifted out with a ball of earth
around their roots and transplanted in the orchard.
3. Air-layering (gootee): The pomegranate may also be propagated by airlayering.
After removal of foliage, branches of pencil size should be selected.
Bark of 1cm diameter should be removed from the selected branch. Care should
be taken to remove the upper layer (phloem). The xylem should not be
damaged. Treat the cut portion with IBA at 10,000 ppm in lanolin as carrier for
including profuse rooting. Cover the cut portion with mass grass and wrap with
white polythene. After two to two and half months, the root growth is
completed. Cut the rooted cuttings from the main tree and re-plant in poly bags
having mixture of soil and organic manure.
Bahar or Resting Treatment: To regulate fruiting, water is withhold for about
2 months in advance of normal flowering season. To obtain higher fruit yield
during a particular period, plants are given a resting period by which the natural
tendency of the tree is altered with artificial means. Flowering can be induced
in June.
Bahar Period Fruit Maturity
Ambe Bahar January-February June-August
Mrig Bahar June-July November-January

Hasth Bahar September- October February-April
Important Diseases, Pests and Disorders:
1. Diseases:
(i) Leaf Spot: (Xanthomonas punicae, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) :
The disease is caused by both bacteria and fungus. The irregular water soaked light
brown to dark brown spots on leaves are caused by bacterium, while minute violet
black or black spots on leaves are caused by fungus. For control of the disease
spray 0.2% captan or dithane M-45 at fortnightly intervals. Proper sanitation of the
orchard should be maintained .
(ii) Fruit Rot (Phomopsis sp): This disease occur on flowers and they fail to set
fruit. The young fruits may drop pre-maturely. Yellow or black spots appear all
over the fruit. The disease spreads through the seeds of affected fruits. Rainy
season, favours the spread of disease.
Remove all affected twigs, fruits and burn them. Spray Dithane Z-78 at 0.2% at
fortnightly intervals.
(iii) Wilt (Fusarium, Rhizoctonia, Nematodes): Wilt in pomegranate is caused
due to fungi and nematode. Plants, initially look yellowish followed by flower,
fruit drop and drying of branches and stem. In severe cases entire orchard is
wilted. The causal organisms are since soil-borne, it is essential to maintain well
drained soil, judicious irrigation and application of FYM , Neem cake, copper
oxychloride drenching @0.3% and soil treatment with trichoderma @10-15kg/ha.
2. Insect pests:
(i) Fruit borer or pomegranate butter fly (Virochola isocrates): Infestation
starts from flowering to button stage. Catter-pillars bore inside the developing

fruits and feed on pulp and seeds. Damaged fruits are subsequently infected by
bacteria and fungi which causes fruit rot.
Collect and destroy the affected fruits. Apply Carbaryl 0.2% @4g/liter or
phosphamidon @ 0.3ml/liter water at 10-15 days intervals.
(ii)Bark eating catter pillar (Inderbela tetraonis): This pest bore into the bark of
pomegranate tree and feed inside. Trees become weak and fail to bear fruits.
Maintain sanitation, remove unwanted twigs, clean the affected portions by
removing all webs. Injecet Kerosene oil or petrol and plug the hole with cotton
wool soaked in carbon disulphide.
(iii) Stem borer(Aleurodes sp): Caterpillar makes a hole and bores through the
main trunk or branches, In night, insect feeds on bark.
Clean the hole by removing insect excreeta. Plug the hole with cotton, dipped in
petrol, chloroform, carbon di sulphide or kerosene oil and seal it by mud paint with
coltar.
(iv) Sap sucking insects: Mealy bugs (Drosicha mangiferae), scale insects
(Saissetia nigra), thrips, aphids (Aphis punicae), mites (Tenuipalpus punicae) all
these insects suck the cell sap from leaves, fruit and twigs. Resulting in shedding
of buds, flowers and fruits.
Spray 0.04% for monocrotophos for the control of mealybuges and scale insects.
Dimethoate or phosphomidon@0.04% for control of white flies, aphids and thrips
for red mites wettable sulphur @1.25g/liter.
HARVESTING AND YIELD:
The fruits are ready for harvest after 5-7 months after blossom. When skin turns
slightly yellow, fruits gives a metallic sound when tapped, the fruits are harvested.

Each tree bears about 100 fruits and continues to give economical crop upto 25-30
years.
PACKING: After harvesting, the fruits are graded according to the size. The
sound and healthy fruits are packed mostly in bamboo baskets and wooden crates
containing 10-12kg fruits with a padding of paddy straw or dry grasses. They
transported to distant markets without any transportation loss.
STORAGE: Pomegranate keeps well for a longer time. Fruits stored at 0 degreeC
and 4.5 degree C at 80-85% RH did not undergo any shrinkage or spoilage for
seven months.
Dos and Don’ts:
Dos:
1. Always purchase the seedlings from genuine sources and certified nursery.
2. Select well drained, deep loamy soil for pomegranate plantation for high yield.
3. Practice hand pollination in pomegranate for good yield.
4. Plant the seedlings at 5x2 m distance or at 5x5m distance, depending upon the
growth of plants and climate.
5. Irrigation should be regular and protection chemicals must be applied at
required time and in the recommended dose.
Don’ts:
1. Seedlings should never be purchased from ungenuine source, without
knowledge of the required variety and its varietal characters.
2. Never cultivate pomegranate in high humid areas,
3. Infrequent and irregular irrigation should not be given, otherwise fruit cracking
will occur.
4. Never grow intercrops in pomegranate orchad after 5 years.
5. Avoid dense plantations.
Certification in Pomegranate:

By and large, pomegranate is a vegetatively propagated crop. Thus Seed
Certification Act is not enforced in this crop. The Nursery Act 1969 is applicable
to pomegranate. The important points of Maharashtra Fruit Nursery Act,
1969, 1976 and Maharashtra Fruit Nursery (Rules) Act, 1978(revised) are
given here under:
1. Fruit Nursery owner should obtain license for each fruit crop.
2. The nursery owner should apply in writing to the Competent Authority for
obtaining license by paying prescribed fee as a fruit nursery grower, with
following terms and conditions:
(i) Applicant should be capable of raising nursery.
(ii) Applicant should be competent to grow fruit nursery.
(iii) Applicant has paid prescribed fee.
(iv) Nursery grower should produce quality planting material, sell it at a
reasonable rate. This term should agreed upon and guaranteed by the
nursery owner.
3. Responsibility of Nursery Grower :
(i) The scion and root stocks should only be used as directed by
Competent Authority.
(ii) He shall maintain records of traceability of scion and root stocks.
(iii) He shall have knowledge of growing particular fruit nursery with the
local and botanical name.
(iv) He shall maintain mother plant and keep the nursery free from insects
and diseases.
(v) He shall agree to follow the instructions of the Competent Authority
for growing fruit nursery.
(vi) Ha shall maintain the name of varieties, age of crop and name of
scions on tags attached with plants.
(vii) He shall sell only healthy nursery.

(viii) He shall maintain a sale register mentioning the name of nursery,
crop, variety, age, mother plant and the name of the person who has
purchased the seedlings. The details should be submitted to the
Competent Authorities on demand.
4. Transportation of diseased and insect attacked seedlings from one place to other
is prohibited under the Act. This will prevent the transmission of the disease
and insect pests to other states.
5. If the nursery owner is failed to comply with the terms and conditions, the
license of the such nursery owner is liable to be cancelled.
6. Renewal of the nursery licence can be done by paying required fee.
Format ‘A’
[See Section 3 (1)]
Application Format for License under Section 3 of
Maharashtra Fruit Nursery (Rules) Act, 1969,
1. Name of the Nursery:----------------------
2. Name and address of the Owner:----------------
3. Place of Nursery:
(i) District:---------
(ii) City/Village:--------
(iii) Nearest railway station:------------
4. Total area of nursery along with mother plants with survey no:----------
A. Details of Mother Plants----
(i) Survey no and Area:--------------
(ii) Name of variety and kind of fruit plants:------------
(iii) Total number of plants;----------
(iv) Age of fruit plant, source of mother plant;----------
If no, information about the source of mother plant,

in that condition, before use of these plants as
mother plant it is essential to see quality and
fruits of such mother plant: ---------------------------
B. Details of mother plant of the root stock
(i) Survey no and Area:------------
(ii) Type of root stock and variety:------------
(iii) No of plants:---------------
(iv) Age of plants:------------------
(v) Source of mother plant:----------------
Provide details about original root stock plant,
If not from same nursery: ---------------------------
C. Provide details of variety wise and total number of he grafted, budded or rooted
plants for the every year but it depends upon the need of applicants:
Name of Fruit Plant Variety Production
technology
No of plants to be
produced
5. From which period applicant doing this nursery business? If so, give the data
for variety wise plant produced and sale of last two years:
6. Give the details of plant protection measures used for prevent the attack of
insect, pests and diseases :
7. Details of License fee:
8. Affidavit :
(I) I, hereby declare that all the above information given by me are true and
correct to the best of my knowledge, information and belief.
(II) I, hereby declare that for the purpose of any contravention or evasion of the
provisions of the Act or any other rule, regulation, notification or order made

there under, if any changes are there by the time we will fulfill all the
conditions
(III) I assure for sale at reasonable price of quality plant.
(IV) I assure that if there is non-availability of grafted and original plants in
nursery then I will plant those in next coming season.
Place:
Date:
Signature of Applicant
Address:------------------
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