RESEARCH ON THE STORAGE OF POMEGRANATE (CV. GÖK BAHÇE) UNDER DIFFERENT CONDITIONS

This research was carried out in the Horticultural Department of Agricultural Faculty of Ankara University. The aim of the research was to determine the storage conditions of pomegranate cv. "Gök Bahçe". Which is commonly grown in Erdemli/Içel area "Gök Bahçe" is a late ripening, thick skinned variety with red droplets and saur taste. The fruits were harvested and pocked in Silifke/Içel region and had been transported to Ankara at the same day. After antitranspirant (plantguard) and fungicid (Thiabenzadole) applications were undertaken of fruits, they had been stored at 1°, 5°, 10°C and nearby in ordinary store.

The experiment was laid out in factorial design and parameters like the respiration ratio, weight losses, titreable acidity (citric acid), total soluble solid content and vitamin C were measured every months in order to determine the economic storage period.

As the results it was found out that the fruits stored at 10°C with the Plantquard+Thiabenzadole applications could be stored one month long while with Plantquard and Thiabenzadole applications at 10°C a storage period of two months could be enabled economically. At 5°C the fruits could be stored for months long in all applications but for "Gök Bahçe" pomegranate variety it was observed that the period of three months resulted in better quality characteristics of the fruits.