Pomegranate (Punica Granatum) and the peculiarity

The pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree growing to between five and eight meters tall. The pomegranate is native to Southwest Asia and has been cultivated in the Caucasus since ancient times. It is widely cultivated throughout Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq, India, Israel, Morocco Pakistan, Syria, Turkey, the drier parts of southeast Asia, Peninsular Malaysia, the East Indies, and tropical Africa. Introduced into Latin America and California by Spanish settlers in 1769, pomegranate is now cultivated in parts of California and Arizona for juice production. In the Northern Hemisphere, the fruit is typically in season from September to February. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is in season from March to May. About 760 different local varieties of pomogranate have been reconized in Iran. These varieties have been collected in Agricultural Research Institute, Yazd, Iran. The most famous varieties are Soveh, Sioh, Rabob, Aghaei, Ardestony, Shisheh cap, Shirin Shahvor, Bajestony, Malas e Daneh Siah, Touq Gardan, Khazar, Shecar e Ashraf (Behshahr), Alak, Arous, Farouq, Rahab, Khafar e Shiraz, Ferdous e Khorasan, Bi daneh Sangan.

Consuming Pomegranate Fruit can make a potential benefit, In preliminary laboratory research and human pilot studies, juice of the pomegranate was effective in reducing heart disease risk factors, including LDL oxidation, macrophage oxidative status, and foam cell formation, all of which are steps in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Pomegranate juice has also been shown to reduce systolic blood pressure by inhibiting serum angiotensin-converting enzyme, may inhibit viral infections, and may have antibacterial effects against dental plaque. Containing polyphenols which inhibit estrogen synthesis, pomegranate seed oil was effective against proliferation of breast cancer cells in vitro.

few diseases that good consuming pomegranate; prostate cancer, prostatic hyperplasia, diabetes, lymphoma, rhinovirus infection, common cold, oxidative stress in hemodialysis, atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease.

In southeast asian Pomegranate also used for pregnant mother to fulfill the baby nutrition. beside the inside fruit the skin and the root of the pomegranate had been use for the herbal medicine that commonly used for diarchea and kill parasitic intestinal worms.

How to plant it on the yard

Growing Conditions

Pomegranate is a kind of stubborn subtropik, can survive at the winter temperatures are low (-10 ° C). The best quality fruit is produced from temperate regions of cool to hot and dry. this kind of plant will not fruit well in area with very humid climate. In the dry environmental conditions necessary to maintain water if you want a levels high results. Pomegranate tree tolerant of soil for most plants other fruits can not grow fast, including a chalky soil and alkaline soil. In Southeast Asia, the pomegranate trees grow well up to height of 1600 m above sea level. on various types of soil with a wide range; in the wetter areas of the pomegranate tree is always green, flowering and fruiting habit becomes prolonged, and the fruit quality will be lower.

Cultivation Guidelines

Pomegranate tree grown from seed vary, it is recommended to clone propagation through cuttings or batarig hard woody cuttings; way latter common in Southeast Asia. Cuttings can be separated after 3-4 months, if it is rooted well enough; grafted plants can bear fruit quickly; graft is often sold as flowering. Pomegranate garden in India, had recommended spacing to 5 m x 2 m to 5 m x 5 m. The tops of the lower side cut at the time of planting and branches of other lateral stems trimmed to form a single, and to generate sufficient Vigor terminals to suppress the growth of saplings, which would otherwise change the nature physique. In the monsoon climate during flowering can be manipulated by not providing irrigation for about 2 months, and flowering will occur one. months after the irrigation was held again. Piracy or trimming the roots as dry conditions will strengthen the effect starts flowering.


Maintenance

Fertilization is done at the end of the dry season.

Pests and Diseases

A number of pests and diseases have been recorded, the most dangerous is the pomegranate butterfly, which Virachola isocrates fruit borers are caterpillars, which is a real threat to the pomegranate plant in India, and fruit rot disease. caused by the fungus Phomopsis rampant in a wet climate. Fruit borers difficult to be eradicated, because the eggs one at a flower placed on or in the remnants of the leaf sheath on the fruit and the young caterpillars eat the leaves as soon as the petals were looking for a way to fruit, because the small size of the caterpillar, it is difficult to detect. The fruit can be wrapped to protect it, the use of pesticides should be based on monitoring the care of the butterfly population (through light traps) and stage of development of eggs laid. Rot disease "Phonopsis" can be spread through seeds in the fruit is attacked, so the fruits and flowers of infected twigs should be removed. Fungicide effect adequate control. Pomegranate is one of the host ticks waxy shield, Ceroplastes sinensis.


Harvest and Post Harvest

The pomegranate can be cracked at the time of maturation, but the immature fruit will be of inferior quality, and the fruit should not be harvested before they reach the base yellow. The fruit can not be learned easily and had to be cut with scissors trim. In the production centers of the leading results of 100,150 fruit (17-25 kg) per tree or 10 tons / ha per year is considered good for the garden established pomegranate. Perfectly ripe fruit can be shipped and stored properly.