Pomegranate is a tropical and sub-tropical fruit plant. It is a major commercial fruit plant of Maharastra and Gujarat in India. It is similiar to crop regulation in guava Like guava crop regulation is also adopted in pomegranate for bahar treatment to get more quality fruits.
Pomegranate Crop Regulation
The pomegranate starts fruiting in about 4 years after planting and continues for about 25 to 30 years. The economic yield from the perennial shrub is generally obtained after 10 years of planting in the field.
Flower regulation
To regulate flowering, withhold water for about 2 months in advance of the normal flowering season. Give manures, fertilizer and light irrigation after 2 months. Give heavier Irrigations at normal interval after 3 to 4 days. The shrub will readily responds to this treatment by producing new growth and blooms and bears a good crop.
A full grown pomegranate shrub has tendency to bear flowers and fruits throughout the year. To obtain higher fruit yield during a particular period, give your plants resting period. By this the natural tendency of tree is altered. It is done by withholding of water for about 2 months in advance of normal flowering, root exposure and also use of chemicals. Flowering can also be induced by adopting such methods in June-July (Mrig Bahar) coinciding with the break of monsoon, February-March (Ambe Bahar), and September-October (Hasth-Bahar).
Mrig Bahar
Also read: What is mrig bahar in guava?
Mrig bahar is taken in Deccan areas where water is so scare during the hot weather. The flowering, therefore, is so forced that the maximum requirement of water falls during the rainy season. For this treatment, watering is withheld from December to April-May results in sufficient suppression of growth. In the month of March-April leaves are shed as plants go to dormant stage. The manures and fertilizers are applied and the light irrigation is given which is followed by two heavy irrigations at 7 days interval before rain set in. With 15 days, trees will put on profuse growth along with the formation of flowers and fruits. The fruits ripen in October and continues up to December.
Ambe bahar
Also read: Ambe bahar in Guava
It is taken in the areas where enough water is available during hot weather. The fruits are available during June and July and no irrigation is provided after the start of the rainy season. The trees shed their leaves by October-November, when a shallow hand digging or ploughing is done. During December-January, manures are applied. The first irrigation is given in January and the flowers appear within a month of this irrigation. I dry regions of western Maharastra Ambe bahar has been found to be better treatment than Mrig bahar.
Hasth bahar is seldom taken. The trees have to be made dormant during August-September. This is rather uncertain because of the rains that occur during this period.
Pollination
Hand and open pollination
Greater percentage of fruit set is achieved by hand pollination and natural open pollination.