Pomegranate Research in India – Status and future challenges

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is an important fruit crop of arid and semiarid regions of world. It is believed to have originated from Iran. India is one of the leading producers of pomegranate in world. In India, it is cultivated over 1.13 lakh ha with an annual production of 7.44 lakh tonnes and productivity of 6.6 tonnes/ha during 2012–13. The export of pomegranate fruits is around 35,000 tonnes/annum. Exquisite fruit quality, enriched nutritional values, enormous medicinal values, huge demand in domestic and international market, besides extended shelf life enables it to emerge as an eminent fruit crop of recent times. The adaptability of the crop to extremes of temperature (−12 to +44°C), suitability to marginal lands with poor fertility, rocky lands with shallow depth etc., pave the way for its potential production in various ecosystems. Use of improved varieties/hybrids, quality planting material, high density planting, microirrigation system, fertigation, integrated disease and insect pest management etc. have made pomegranate cultivation, a feasible commercial venture. The paper critically reviews the current status and future challenges of pomegranate cultivation in India.