Articles
COMMERCIAL POMEGRANATE (PUNICA GRANATUM L.) PRODUCTION IN CALIFORNIA
Article number
890_39
Pages
275 – 285
Language
English
Abstract
Commercial pomegranate production in California is found primarily in the southern San Joaquin Valley, a region with Mediterranean type climate.
Pome-granates have been grown in California since 1792, spread by Christian missionaries from Spain, and in commercial production since 1896 when shipments of trees arrived from Florida.
For decades in the late 1900s the statewide hectarage remained near 1000, but has increased dramatically to 11700 in 2007, most of which is less than four years old.
Pomegranates are often grown in conjunction with other permanent crops such as stone fruit and nut crops.
Planting systems range from rows 3.6 to 5.8 m and in-row spacing from 1.5 to 5.2 m, with row spacing often determined by equipment preferences for other crops.
Training systems are typically free-form multiple trunks, although single trunk and trellised production is being used.
Irrigation systems, like crop spacing, are often dictated by companion crops found on individual farms; flood irrigation is found on older trees with newer trees planted with micro irrigation systems.
Organic production of pomegranates remains limited due to market acceptance; challenges for organic production are Alternaria alternata and Aspergillus niger, as well as omnivorous leafroller (Platynota stultana) and flat mite (Brevipalpus lewisi). Numerous herbicides are registered for use in conventional pomegranates and weed barriers and hand weeding in organic systems.
Both fresh market and juice fruit continue to be commercially harvested by hand but attempts at mechanization for both uses are underway.
Common yields for mature pomegranates are as low as 6-10 MT/ha when used exclusively for fresh market consumption, but can be as great as 25-35 MT/ha when grown for juice, with the fresh:juice ratio dependant on both market conditions and autumn weather patterns.
Most pomegranates are sold through food retailers in North America, and their current preference for high sugar/high acid, dark red rind color and dark red aril color favors cultivars such as Granada and Foothill in early season, and Wonderful in main season.
The United States Depart-ment of Agriculture National Clonal Germplasm Repository in Davis, California, contains selected lines sent from Dr.
Levins Turkmenistan collection as well as genetic variants found in California production; variation for fruit attributes may influence consumer acceptance to other fruit types already common throughout pomegranate consuming cultures.
Pome-granates have been grown in California since 1792, spread by Christian missionaries from Spain, and in commercial production since 1896 when shipments of trees arrived from Florida.
For decades in the late 1900s the statewide hectarage remained near 1000, but has increased dramatically to 11700 in 2007, most of which is less than four years old.
Pomegranates are often grown in conjunction with other permanent crops such as stone fruit and nut crops.
Planting systems range from rows 3.6 to 5.8 m and in-row spacing from 1.5 to 5.2 m, with row spacing often determined by equipment preferences for other crops.
Training systems are typically free-form multiple trunks, although single trunk and trellised production is being used.
Irrigation systems, like crop spacing, are often dictated by companion crops found on individual farms; flood irrigation is found on older trees with newer trees planted with micro irrigation systems.
Organic production of pomegranates remains limited due to market acceptance; challenges for organic production are Alternaria alternata and Aspergillus niger, as well as omnivorous leafroller (Platynota stultana) and flat mite (Brevipalpus lewisi). Numerous herbicides are registered for use in conventional pomegranates and weed barriers and hand weeding in organic systems.
Both fresh market and juice fruit continue to be commercially harvested by hand but attempts at mechanization for both uses are underway.
Common yields for mature pomegranates are as low as 6-10 MT/ha when used exclusively for fresh market consumption, but can be as great as 25-35 MT/ha when grown for juice, with the fresh:juice ratio dependant on both market conditions and autumn weather patterns.
Most pomegranates are sold through food retailers in North America, and their current preference for high sugar/high acid, dark red rind color and dark red aril color favors cultivars such as Granada and Foothill in early season, and Wonderful in main season.
The United States Depart-ment of Agriculture National Clonal Germplasm Repository in Davis, California, contains selected lines sent from Dr.
Levins Turkmenistan collection as well as genetic variants found in California production; variation for fruit attributes may influence consumer acceptance to other fruit types already common throughout pomegranate consuming cultures.
Publication
Authors
K.R. Day, E.D. Wilkins
Keywords
cultivar, marketing, organic, training
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