The Pomegranate is one of the essential fruit crops grown in India. Since
Pomegranate farming originated in Iran, it has been extensively practiced in
Mediterranean countries like Iran, Spain, Morocco, Egypt, Afghanistan, and Baluchistan.
Pomegranates are produced in large quantities in India. Fresh fruits are used for table
purposes, including Pomegranates, also favorite table fruits.
Additionally, they can prepare juice, syrup, squash, juice concentrates, jelly, anar rub,
carbonated drinks, anar dana tablets, acids, etc. There are fewer acids in the seeds of
these fruits. Those seeds can even be eaten. Fruits grown in Spain and Iran are much
inferior in taste and attractiveness to those grown in the United States.
This hybrid variety is also known as Shendria, Sinduri, Astagandha, and Kesar, and it is a selection from the F2 population of the cross Ganesh x Gulesha Red. In recent years almost all the new orchards are with Bhagwa variety due to bigger fruit size, sweet, bold, attractive arils, and glossy, very attractive saffron-colored thick skin, with better keeping quality, thus making it suitable for distant markets..
In places where the temperature drops very low during winter, the Pomegranate tree
becomes deciduous. Tropical areas have evergreen trees, while subtropical areas have
partially evergreen trees. Generally, Pomegranates grow best in a dry climate. When the
fruit is developing and ripening, it needs hot and dry climatic conditions.
It needs a hot and dry climate in the summer and cold and dry weather in the winter. The
plant cannot tolerate frost, however. Shades are not conducive to its growth. A wide range
of soil types can be used for its cultivation, ranging from high-fertile to low-fertile soil.
However, it produces excellent yields in a deep loamy soil. A certain degree of salinity and
alkalinity can be tolerated by it. Pomegranates can also be grown on medium and black
soils. Pomegranate farming requires soil with a pH range of 6.5 to 7.5.
Hybrid Pomegranate varieties that grow in India:Bhagwa
This hybrid variety is also known as Shendria, Sinduri, Astagandha, and Kesar, and it is a
selection from the F2 population of the cross Ganesh x Gulesha Red. In recent years
almost all the new orchards are with Bhagwa variety due to bigger fruit size, sweet, bold,
attractive arils, and glossy, very attractive saffron-colored thick skin, with better keeping
quality, thus making it suitable for distant markets.
This variety was found less susceptible to fruit spots and thrips than other Pomegranate
varieties. ‘Bhagwa’ variety of Pomegranate is a heavy yielder (30 to 35 kg fruits per tree)
and possesses desirable fruit characteristics, and matures in 180 to 190 days. Ganesh is a
popular variety in Maharashtra, and it possesses pink flesh and soft seeds and is sweet
with an agreeable taste and medium-sized fruits. It is also a good cropping variety.
Mridula
This deep red variety has shiny skin. The seeds are deep red in color and juicy, and each
fruit can weigh up to 250 to 300 grams. This variety has all the characteristics of the
Ganesh variety except the arils dark red. The arils in the ‘Ambe’ Bahar and ‘Mrig’ Bahar are
dark red, while it is pink during the ‘Hasta’ bahar.
This variety of Pomegranates is extremely drought tolerant. The average productivity of
this variety is good, about 3.7 tons per acre. This yield is slightly lower than the top
Bhagawa variety (3.9 tons per acre). Although it sets heavy crop loads, it indicates poor
performance concerning quality attributes. The variety produces medium to large-sized
fruits. The average fruit weight is 250 to 300 grams.
Ganesh
Although several well-recognized commercial varieties of Pomegranate are available in
India, Bhagwa and Ganesh are highly preferred. This variety is developed by the selection
method (selection from Alandi). It is a prolific bearer, and the fruit is medium-sized with
yellow, smooth, and red tinge. Its seeds are soft with pinkish aril, and the juice tastes
sweet. It is the commercial cultivar of Maharashtra. The average yield ranges from 8 to 10
kg per tree. The tree is a heavy bearer. Each fruit’s weight is about 225 to 250 grams
Axis Agro India In Meerut, came out with Axis Agro , a selection from
Bassein Seedless and Dholka. Trees are dwarf and evergreen. This fruit variety has shiny
skin and is yellowish red, medium to big, and its soft seeds are extremely sweet. The
average fruit weight is 200 grams, and the rind develops a typical red color with pinkishreddish colored arils. The juice percentage is 75 based on the grain’s weight. The juice has
17% total soluble solids (TSS) with a very low acidity of 0.3%.
for arid
regions as the fruit matures early and maximum fruit production coincides with available
soil moisture during monsoon, large fruits (200g) with pink to deep red skin, arils are pink
to red having soft seeds with the attractive overall appearance of the fruit.
Kandhari
Trees are deciduous, vigorous, and upright growing. It is a regular bearer with a good
yield per tree. It bears fruits only during the ‘Ambe’ bahar season (April-May flowering).
Fruits are big with yellow colored peel and red splash. The average fruit weight is 370
grams. Arils are light pinkish to deep pinkish, with semihard seeds, depending upon the
dry weather and prevailing temperature.
The seeds can be a little hard in texture. The grains have 77 percent juice based on the
weight of the grains. The juice has 13 to 15% total soluble solids (TSS) and well-blended
acidity (0.5 to 0.6%). There is a considerable variation in yield from area to area. However, it
can give an average yield of 4 to 5 tons per acre.
Phule Arakta
It is a selection from F-2 progeny of a cross between Ganesh x Gul-e-Shah Red, a Russian
cultivar. It is reported that it has acreage next to Ganesh, the most sought-after variety
among farmers. It is a heavy yielder with a fruit maturity of 130 to 140 days only. The
growth habit of trees is spreading type with evergreen nature. Fruit is round, smooth,
glossy, and dark brick red; arils are sweet with dark red.
Fruits are medium in size (182.70 g). The rind thickness is 0.24 cm, and its seeds are soft.
Fruits are juicier (63.71%), with 15.89% total soluble solids (TSS) and 0.45% acidity. This
hybrid variety fruit yield 29.83 kg per tree, 9 tons per acre, and the average number of
fruits per tree is 78 to 90. The variety is suitable for both export and domestic market.
Goma Khatta
It is a hybrid between Ganesh x Daru. The hybrid has high acidity (7.3%) and bigger fruit
size (137.3 grams) and is superior to Daru. The growth habit of a tree is the upright type
with evergreen nature and dwarf in nature. The fruit is round, smooth, and pink with a
reddish tinge. Under rainfed conditions on a five-year-old plant, a yield of 11.08 kg.
Pomegranate farms are often built up like orchards, and the first few years of a plant’s life
are not profitable. There is often a 5-year lag between the beginning of operations and
the first year of profit for commercial farms. Most farmers find this an inordinate amount
of time to tend to their land since there is no income during this period. Pomegranate
plants are inexpensive, but you should cultivate only the most popular local type. Red
pomegranate is the most popular, and larger fruits appeal to more consumers.
Name of the states Cultivars
Maharashtra Ganesh, Bhagwa, G-137, P23, P26, Muskat, Mridula and Ruby
Andhra Pradesh Ganesh, Bhagwa, and G-137
Karnataka Bhagwa, Jyoti and Ruby, Bassein Seedless, Madhugiri
Tamil Nadu Mridula, Ganesh, Jyoti, Co-1, Yercaud, Vellodu, and Kabul Red
Rajasthan Jalore seed less, Jodhpur Red, Jodhpuri White and Bhagwa
Gujarat Dholka, Jalore seed less, Muskat Red, Paper Shell, and Ganesh
Madhya Pradesh Jyoti and Bhagwa
Haryana Ganesh, Muskat Red, Paper Shell
The season for Pomegranate Plantation and bearing fruits
Pomegranates are planted in sub-tropical regions during the February-March months
(during spring). Plantations of Pomegranates take place in the tropical areas during July
and August. The most common time for air layering is during the rainy season and
November-December. The southern and central parts of India have Pomegranate
plants that bloom and bear fruit throughout the year. When the crop receives rainfall and
precipitation, flowering occurs during these months
January to February (Ambe Bahar)
June to July (Mrig Bahar)
September to October (Hasta Bahar)
Where the monsoon is normal and regular, the Mrig bahar pattern is followed, where
plants flower during the monsoon months. It is only possible to flower in January if
irrigation facilities are available during the summer months of April and May. On the
other hand, flowering in October is profitable when comparing yields and prices.
Irrigation in April is made more expensive by January flowering
The Pomegranate is a fruit with a sweet, tart avor and thick, red skin. The fruit’s skin is
not edible, but hundreds of sweet seeds can be eaten plain or sprinkled on salads,
oatmeal, hummus, and other dishes to enhance the dish’s avor. Various studies have
shown that pomegranates do well in semiarid conditions, and they can be grown as high
as 500 meters above the mean sea level if grown in certain conditions.When irrigation facilities are available, it can thrive under hot, dry summers and cold
winters if irrigation facilities are available. However, the tree needs a hot, dry climate
during fruit development and ripening to grow properly. Pomegranate is cultivated in
Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh,
Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka.Among these states, Maharashtra is one of the leading producers of Pomegranate. This
crop is grown on an average of 109.2 thousand hectares in India. In fruit crops, most insect
pests that cause damage are fruit borers, bark-eating caterpillars, fruit-sucking moths,
mealy bugs, and thrips.The Pomegranate fruit borer, or Pomegranate buttery, is one of the most destructive,
widespread, polyphagous, and widespread pests found in India and all over Asia. In
addition to being known as Pomegranate Fruit Borer, Anar Buttery is another name for
this insect. It is common for butteries to lay their eggs on the calyx of fruits, buds, or
small fruits. Upon emerging from the fruit, larvae make a hole in the esh and crawl
inside to feed on the emerging arils
Pomegranate fruit borer biology
The larva hatches and bores into the fruit, with the larval period lasting for 18-47 days.
Pupation lasts for 7-34 days.
Full-grown larvae are dark brownish with short hairy and white patches all over the
body surface and measure about 16 to 20mm long.
Pupation occurs either inside fruits or on the stalk holding them. Pupal period 7-34
days.
Adults lay eggs on the stalks or ower buds with an incubation period lasting 7-10
days.
Adults are glossy bluish in the case of males and brownish violet color in the case of a
female, with a conspicuous orange patch on the forewings, and the life cycle is
completed in 1-2 months.
A Female lays an average of 13.29 eggs, and the incubation period is 4-5 days.
Four generations were completed in a year.Damage symptoms
The pest causes up to 70% yield loss under severe infestation. The moths lay eggs on
fruits at the pea stage, and upon hatching, the newly emerged caterpillars bore into
fruits, feed on the pulp near the seed, and accumulate fecally.he fruit after hatching.
The symptoms are the odious smell that emanates from the entry holes and the
excreta of caterpillars that eventually result in the rot of the fruits and the damage to
fully mature fruit.
Fruit rotting and dropping may occur.
Pest monitoring
Start monitoring after the tree has started owering use a light trap for monitoring.
Look at the top of the fruit for the presence of the insect and its eggs. The eggs are
grouped. They are small and white.
Look for the larva and the pupa under the soil around the tree. They are both pink
Starts controlling the problem when you see at least ve larvae on ten trees in the
orchard.
Application of physical barriers such as covering the 30 to 50 days old fruits with bags
of butter paper in isolated and small scale.
Removal and destruction of all the damaged fruits showing exit holes.
Clipping off the calyx cup of owers immediately after pollination will help to reduce
the egg load on the fruits and damage level.
Clipping off the calyx cup immediately after pollination and two rounds of spraying
with neem oil at 3 percent also controlled pest infestation effectively.Biological control
The parasitoid Trichogramma species is effective in controlling the pest. Release them
at 1.0 lakh/acre four times at ten days intervals. They can be placed in the middle and
on the edges of the eld.
It is possible to avoid infestation by covering the fruits with polythene or paper bags. It
is, therefore, important to always consider an integrated approach, including
preventive measures and biological treatments.
Predators of D. Isocrates are lacewing, ladybird beetle, spider, red ant, dragony, robber
y, reduviid bug, and praying mantis.
Furthermore, species of wasps, big-eyed bugs (Geocoris sp), earwig, ground beetle,
and pentatomid bug are reportedly effective against the fruit borer. Bird species will
also feed on the caterpillar. The calyx cup should be clipped off immediately after
pollination as fruit borers lay eggs on the calyx cup, and this should be followed by
applications of neem oil (3%) during the owering stage. Set clean mud (heated by the
sun) around the base of the fruit to protect it from the insect.
There is a way to reduce the infestation by removing all the affected fruits and destroying
them. The following chemicals can be sprayed on the surface:As soon as the owering begins, spray Azadirachtin 1500ppm at 3.0ml/lit of water at 15
days intervals starting from the initiation of owering up to the harvesting, depending
on the presence of the fruit borer.
Dimethoate (2 ml/lit), indoxacarb (1 g/lit), cypermethrin (1.5 ml/lit), and profenophos (2
ml/lit) should be applied at a fortnightly interval from owering to fruit development.
Pomegranate fruit borer control can also be achieved by applying lambda-
cyhalothrin, a chemical pesticide.
On initiation, spray need-based neem seed kernel powder at 500 g (5%) per acre or
ready-to-use neem-based pesticides at 10 ml (1% EC) to 40 ml (0.15% EC) per 10 lit of
water.
Spray with Bacillus thuringiensis, a bacterial-based powder, at 15 g per 10 lit of water.
Two sprays of emamectin benzoate 5 SG at a rate of 0.25 g/liter of water or spinosad 45
SC at a rate of 0.20 ml/liter of water resulted in the greatest reduction in fruit damage.
Spray applications of fenvalerate 0.005%, carbaryl 0.2 %, quinalphos 0.06%, or
decamethrin 0.0028% effectively control the pest.Spray with decametric at 0.0028% when more than 50% of fruits were set. Repeat after
two weeks with carbaryl at 0.2% or fenvalerate at 0.005%. In nonrainy season
quinalphos at 0.06% was effective.
Spray with malathion 50 EC at 2 ml per L or carbaryl 50WP at 4 g per L or
monocrotophos 36 SL at 1 ml per L of water starting from owering to harvesting stage
at an interval of 21 days for effective management of the pest.
Spraying with methyl parathion 50 EC at 1 ml per L or carbaryl 50 WP 0.2% can also
control this pest.
Among the new group of insecticides, spinosad and emamectin benzoate were
found effective in checking the pomegranate borer, D.epijarbas infestation. The
pyrethroids, namely cypermethrin, and deltamethrin were equally productive.
In the earlier stage, biopesticides were found effective, as the infestation, even in
control, was less. Overall the biopesticides did not prove much effective.
From an economic point of view, Rynaxypyr, the most effective insecticide in
managing the pest, was not much remunerative due to its high cost.
Spinosad was better on the economic front, also. Cypermethrin was the best option as
for as the economics of the treatments is concerned, followed by deltamethrin due to
the high benet-cost ratio, mainly due to less cost of these pesticidesCovering the entire orchard with a nylon net followed by spraying with contact
insecticide has been recommended.
The use of light traps at 1/ha can be used to monitor the activity of adults in the area
Applying malathion 50 EC 0.1% or dimethoate 30 EC 0.06% is recommended during
two rounds, the rst at ower formation and the second at fruit set.
Remove the remaining fruit from the trees or fallen that have been attacked after
harvest between seasons. Plow the soil around the tree to remove the insect young
that live and sleep in the soil. Remove owering weeds of the same families.
Keep an eye on your eld regularly to see if any branches are dry.
A light trap should be set up at 1/acre to monitor adult butteries.
As soon as the damaged fruits are collected, they should be destroyed as far away from
the eld as possible.
It is recommended to clip off the calyx cup of owers immediately after pollination to
reduce the egg load on the fruit and ensure a lower level of damage to the fruits,
It is necessary to remove all weeds as well as plants that act as alternative hosts.
The fruits should be bagged as soon as possible (usually when they reach the size of
ve cm) with butter paper, rough cloth, or muslin cloth, which has a thickness of 300
gauge, to create a barrier against borer attack.
In the immediate after-harvest, the pupae of the pomegranate tree should be exposed
to predatory birds, other natural enemies, and the sun to survive.
Fruitborers can be controlled most effectively by being defensive against them. A healthy,
vigorous plant is less likely to be infected than a weak, underpotted, or stressed plant. In
addition, healthy plants are less likely to attract these pests in the rst place, so make sure
your plants are healthy.
Pomegranate planting material can be obtained from Axis Agro India Company Meerut in Uttar Pradesh at wholesale rate. For online ordering, book the order on the website.
300 plants 12 * 12 feet plants are grown in one acre and one acre earns four to five lakh rupees per year.
