How to improve fruit size of a pomegranate when commercially cultivated?
Answers
The present investigation conducted to study the fundamental aspects of fruit development that determine fruit size would indicate how and when size could be affected and to specify which components could be environmentally manipulated and which are fixed under genetic control. With this objective fruit compositional changes in pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cv Dholka, comprises length, volume and weight, seed+aril weight and number of seed+aril per fruit , rind weight, rind thickness seed, calyx length, calyx diameter and juice content were evaluated in fruits of variable sizes. Pearson correlations and factor analysis were determined to find out association among fruit and aril traits. Results indicated that fruit length, fruit volume, fruit weight, seed+aril weight per fruit and number of seed+aril per fruit are closely correlated therefore; any of these traits could be utilized as an indicator of fruit size. The number of seed+arils per fruit was highly correlated with fruit size with larger fruit containing greater numbers of arils. This is in contrast to individual average aril weight, which showed no significant relationship to fruit size. These results will be useful to breeding programs that require awareness of fruit qualities in the selection of traits for improvement. For production strategies which aim in increasing aril numbers for obtaining larger fruits in pomegranate cv Dholka under temperate condition.