| POMEGRANATE |
| (PUNICA GRANATUM) |
|
In India pomegranate is commercially planted in Maharastra, Gujarat and to a limited extent in U.P., A.P., Karnataka and Tamilnadu. This fruit crop can tolerate salinity and saline irrigation water and does well even in shallow soils. It can also tolerate drought. Pomegranate Makes on excellent choice under arid and semi-arid condition. SOILS
Pomegranate is very hardy crop and thrives well in shallow rocky soils. It can tolerate alkalinity and salinity. However best results are obtained in deep, heavy loam and well drained soils. It is sensitive to a oil moisture fluctuation causing fruit cracking which is a serious problem of this crop.
CLIMATE
It thrives best under hot dry summer and cold winter provided irrigation facilites are available. Humidity lowers the quality and proliferates diseases. Under subtropics it is deciduous in nature while in tropics it is evergreen.
VARIETIES
Ganesh, Muskat, Jyothi, Jaloreseedless, Jodhapur red, Dholka, Seedless, Arakta etc.
PROPAGATION
Easily raised by cuttings or air or ground layering 15-20cm.longhard wood cuttings taken from 1-2 years old plant, should be treated with keradx'B' rooting hormone or given a quick dip in 500 ppm I.B.A. plants will be ready in 55-66 days.
PLANTING
Pits of 60 X 60 X 60Ccm are dug at 5m spacing in square system. Spacing of 5m between rows and 2m between trees gives maximum returns. Fill the pits with 20kg FYM. Planting should be done during monsoon. Watering must be done immediately after planting.
PURNING
The plant should be allowed to retain 4 main stems from the ground level. Extra suckes should be removed continuously. The main stem should be topped at a height of about 70cm. to reduce branching. The tree is given a balanced shape during the initial 2-3 years by the proper selection of secondary and tertiary branches. Downward growing branches and crossing branches should be removed.
After the tree is trained, much purning is not required as the fruits are borne on one year old branches. However water sprouts and dry branches should be removed. After 10 years, old main stems should be removed by cutting back to make it more Productive.
INTER CROPPING
Since pomegranate plants take 4-5 years to come into good bearing low growing vegetables, pulses or green manure crops can be taken up as intercrops.
MANURES AND FERTILIZERS
Higher yields can be obtained by application of 500-625g N ,250 g P205 and 250g k20 to each tree per year. Time of application vary with the crop. For ambe bahar December / January, for Mrig bahar May / June and for hasthe bahar October / November are appropriate periods.
IRRIGATION
Irrigation requirements vary with type of crop. For Mrig bahar crop first irrigation in the middle of May followed by regular irrigation until monsoon sets in. Thereafter in post monsoon period copious and regular irrigation is essential for better development of fruits and to avoid Fruit cacking. For other crops weekly irrigation in Summer and bi-weekly irrigation in winter should suffice.
FLOWER REGULATION (Bahar Treatment)
In subtropics, tree flowers in spring while in tropics (central and south India) it flowers in three distinct phases with maximum intensity in rainy season. Spring flowers give fruits in summer when the demand is maximum but the quality is poor. Therefore, efforts should be directed to avail of the rainy season flowers (Mirg bahar) so that fruiting period coincides with the maximum water availability time and the crop is taken without much irrigation. For "Mirg Bahar" treatment, withholding of water from December-May results in suppression of growth. Trees usually shed leaves by March end and remain dormant up to May. Then the field is ploughed, manure and fertilizers are applied and first light irrigation is given in the middle of May and there after one or two light irrigation are given until rain sets in. Trees put up new growth, flower and fruit with crop availability in October - November.
FRUITING
Under subtropics it essentially flowers once in a year but under tropical conditions almost through out the year with maximum concentration in rainy season. In spring, Flowers are borne on mature wood of previous seasons growth while flowers are borne on current season's growth in June / July. Flowers take 5-6 months to be ready. A tree gives 20-25 fruit from third or fourth year and 100-150 after 10 years.
HARVEST
5-6 months after flowering change in skin color gives metallic sound, when tapped. Yields 100-150 fruits/annum. High density planting 1000 plants/ha (5 X 2m) is profitable.
POST HARVEST
Fruits can cured in shade for about a week so that the skin becomes hard and fruit can stand transportation. When stored at 00c to 4.50c with 80-85% R.H. can be safe for 7 months.
PROBLEMS
Insects Pests & Diseases
Anar butter fly (virachola isrocates): caterpillar bores into fruit and feeds on pulp. Metacid 50 EC 1 ml/ltr or Carboryl 0.2% can control this pest.
Fruit Rot:(Phomopsis)
When flowers are affected, they fail to set and young fruit may drop.
CONTROL
Diathane M-45, Captan 500 g in 200 1 water after fruit formation subsequently 3-4 sparyings at 15 days interval.
PHYSIOLOGICAL DISORDERS
Fruit cracking is a serious disorder. In young fruits it could be due to Boron deficiency, but fully grown fruits crack due to moisture imbalances as this fruit is very sensitive to variation in soil moisture. Prolonged drought causes hardening of peal and if this is followed by heavy irrigation or down pour then the pulp grows then peel grows and cracks.
Tolerant varieties : Bedana Bose and Khog.
This problem can be managed through following means: |