Pomegranate Production

Reviewed by Bob Westerfield, Horticulture

Original manuscript by Dan MacLean, Horticulture;
Karina Martino, Food Science and Technology;
Harald Scherm, Plant Pathology; and Dan Horton, Entomology
Pomegranates have been grown as a common backyard crop for decades in the South. In recent
years, there has been an increased interest in the commercial production of the fruit in Georgia
and surrounding regions. This production increase is largely in response to increased demand for
the fruit by the consumer. Global production has increased substantially in the past decade, and
pomegranate is being consumed not only as a fresh fruit, but also as juice or as a freshly prepared
product. The fruit is also being utilized in numerous consumer products, including tea and juice
blends, nut mixes and countless other food and non-food stuffs.
This publication describes current knowledge specific for the commercial and backyard growing of
pomegranate in Georgia, as well as general production practices common in other pomegranateproducing regions. However, it should be noted that limited local knowledge is available, and the
information contained in this publication is based largely on the fruit produced at the UGA Ponder Farm, an orchard that was planted in 1991-1994.

Introduction

The pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a

naturally dense, deciduous, bushy, multistemmed shrub that typically grows to heights
of 10 to 12 feet and bears highly colored fruit
with many juicy seeds inside. In some regions,
pomegranates are trained into small trees with
a single trunk. The branches tend to be slender
and thorny, while the leaves are glossy and
dark green. The colorful orange-red flowers appear in the spring and summer and are either
bell-shaped (female) or vase-shaped (hermaph-

roditic), with the latter type being sterile. The

edible portion of the fruit, called an aril, is
comprised of hundreds of seeds surrounded by
juicy pigments, each contained within a seed
coat (Figure 1). Seeds are either soft or hard,
depending on the cultivar. The juice within
the aril varies from light pink to dark red, but
can also appear yellow or clear in some varieties. The juice ranges from very acidic to very
sweet in taste. The rind is generally smooth
but leathery, and can be yellow, orange or red
in color.

Figure 1. Arils of pomegranate cultivar Kaj-acik-anor. Arils are comprised of the outer shell, seed and, as seen in
this cultivar, a brightly pigmented red juice.

History

The tree is most resistant to the cold in the

winter months, and tends to be more susceptible to frost damage prior to reaching full
dormancy in the fall and at bud break in the
spring. It is during these periods that the bark
is most susceptible to damage from frost, which
usually occurs first on the south side of the
tree closest to the ground. If frost damage is a
problem, a possible solution is to paint the bark
white with flat latex paint in order to reduce
fluctuations between day and nighttime temperature extremes.

In old Latin, the name Malum punicum literally translates to Apple of Grain or multi-grain,
in reference to the multiple seeds in the fruit.
However, the current Latin name Punica granatum L. is derived from Pomuni granatum,
a name traced back to the middle ages, which
translates to seeded apple. Domestication
of the pomegranate is believed to have begun
in Central Asia and Persia nearly 4,000 years
ago, and then spread east and west through
hot, arid regions of India, Asia Minor and the
Mediterranean coast. Spanish settlers first
introduced the fruit to North America, including missions on the Georgia coast, in the 16th
century. Pomegranate has been a reasonably
common backyard or dooryard plant in south
Georgia for centuries. The plants are long-lived
and bear fruit for decades. The origin of the
Georgia plants is largely unknown; however,
research efforts are being made to locate, identify and characterize these local trees.

Pomegranates are extremely heat tolerant, and

perform best when temperatures are above
85F for at least 120 days a year. The trees are
also drought-tolerant; however, supplemental
irrigation is necessary during tree establishment and is critical for commercial fruit production. Without irrigation during prolonged
periods of drought, fruit production will be lost,
and substantial injury to young trees is likely.

There is some debate as to the origin of the

Wonderful cultivar. One version of the story
suggests that in 1896, the Wonderful cultivar
was discovered in Florida and brought to California (where it was subsequently commercialized) by a Mr. Birs. Another version suggests
that a shipment of cuttings and/or seedlings
was shipped to Porterfield, Calif., where the
Wonderful cultivar was discovered amongst
the plants. Although it has become the major
cultivar in California, it performs very poorly
in Georgia.

Soil and Site Selection

Climate

Aside from soil type and drainage, site selection should also take into consideration sun
exposure and air circulation. Pomegranates require at least six hours of direct sunlight a day
in order to ensure good fruit color and productivity. Aligning the orchard rows north-south
will maximize sun exposure. However, soil
drainage is more important than row orientation. In most of south Georgia, pomegranates
should be planted on a raised bed at least 4
feet wide and 6 to12 inches in height. A water
furrow can be added to each aisle if additional
drainage is needed.

Pomegranates perform best on deep loamy

soils, but will still grow quite well in sandy and
clay soils. Trees are tolerant of moderately acid
to slightly alkaline soils and grow best in a soil
pH range of 5.5 to 7.2. Though pomegranates
can tolerate short periods of standing water,
they prefer well-drained soils. Extended periods of excessive moisture will harm the trees.
Pomegranates are also moderately tolerant to
salts and can withstand irrigation with water
containing 2,000 to 2,500 ppm salt.

Most pomegranate cultivars are hardy down to

12F, with the hardier types surviving without
damage down to 7F. Anecdotal evidence suggests that hard-seeded varieties are more coldhardy than the soft-seeded types. The majority
of pomegranate varieties do not require winter
chill hours, with the exception of a few coldhardy cultivars. Consequently, wood is always
susceptible to injury. All varieties will benefit
from a rest period or dormancy, though assigning a minimum chill hour requirement is
not currently possible.
Pomegranate Production

University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Circular 997

to promote natural air drainage are encouraged.

Though pomegranates are susceptible to sun

scald, only a small percentage of fruit will
normally be damaged in a given season. Sunscald appears as a change in blush of the fruit,
and will appear on the sun-exposed side of the
fruit. Sunburn is a progression of sunscald, and
appears as either severely darkened skin or as
dry, necrotic and cracked skin in severe cases.
Kaolin can be used to reduce sunscald, which,
if left unmanaged, may lead to sunburn. If the
fruit will be marketed fresh, the kaolin spray
must be washed off after harvest since it appears as pesticide residue. High incidence of
sunburn can contribute to weakened rind and
subsequent cracking (Figure 2).

Pomegranates in other production regions are

reportedly susceptible to root-knot nematode.
As a precaution, new orchards in Georgia
should not be established in areas with known
root-knot nematode infestations.

Propagation

Pomegranates can be propagated from softwood or hardwood cuttings. Hardwood cuttings

are the preferred means of propagation, but
softwood cuttings collected in early fall can be
used with varying degrees of success. A tree
from a hardwood cutting will bear fruit in year
two after planting, while it will take at least
three years from seed. Trees will reach maturity in five to seven years, and can live up to
200 years.
For hardwood cuttings, remove approximately
10 inches of one-year wood in late fall or early
winter. Cuttings should be approximately to
inch in diameter, or about the same width
as a pencil. Suckers from the base of the plant
or from the interior of the canopy often make
some of the best wood for cuttings. Cuttings
can be propagated either in a pot containing
a modified soil or soilless media or directly in
ground, spaced about a foot apart in a nursery row. Stick the cuttings, leaving only 2 to
3 inches of the top of the cutting exposed. It
is preferable to have at least three nodes under the surface. Rooting hormones, mist bed
and root zone heating (75F) will increase the
success rate but are not required. Allow the
cuttings to grow for the season. The following
spring, transplant the cuttings bare root into
the orchard at proper spacing.
One suggested protocol for propagating pomegranates is as follows:
1. Stick in February, after dormancy period
is complete, in 1:1 vermiculite:perlite.
2. After 1 inch of root growth, transplant into
a tall pot with 1:1:1 peat:bark:perlite.
3. After establishment, transfer to tall 1-gallon pots in soil, and support with bamboo.

Figure 2. Example of sunscald (top) and sunburn (bottom).

Air circulation is important, especially in the

spring during bloom. Flowers may not set or
will abort if conditions are too humid. Thus,
open areas free from shade with a gentle slope
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Circular 997

Pomegranate Production

Orchard Establishment

to fruit production in these early years, and

it is not uncommon for the majority of fruit to
drop prematurely. Full commercial production
begins occurring in years five or six.

Rooted hardwood cuttings are planted bare

root in late winter or early spring. Pomegranates can be placed directly in-ground or on
raised beds. The latter is recommended, especially if a high water table or poor drainage
is suspected. An herbicide, such as Surflan
A.S., should be used prior to transplanting
to remove competition from other plant species. Pre-emergent herbicides such as Goal can
be applied during dormancy. Applications of
Touchdown HiTech (glyphosate) in row middles
are performed throughout the season. Basagran is also a registered herbicide for nonbearing trees, and can be used in rotation with
other labeled herbicides. Consult label for rates
and application restrictions, and refer to the
current edition of the Georgia Pest Management Handbook for the most current information.

Irrigation

Though pomegranates are very drought tolerant, ensuring adequate soil moisture will
result in a substantial improvement in plant
vigor and fruit yield. Furthermore, providing
adequate water throughout drought periods
will help minimize the amount of fruit splitting
when the rain returns. Drip irrigation is the
preferred method. Overhead irrigation is not
advisable as it will increase the spread of field
pathogens and may also result in reduced fruit
set because the flowers are highly sensitive to
humidity and moisture. Excessive soil moisture
in the summer can lead to an abundance of
vegetative growth, but the fruit produced will
tend to be softer, resulting in poor postharvest
quality. Avoid excessive irrigation in the fall as
it may contribute to fruit splitting. This splitting can lead to increased rates of infection
from field-borne diseases, which will eventually
develop during storage.

Mulch can be used in a manner similar to blueberry production to prevent weed invasion and
to preserve soil moisture content around the
young plant.
Optimal tree spacing has yet to be determined
for production in the Southeast. Traditional
spacing for an orchard is 18 x 18 (134 trees/
acre). This density permits adequate sunlight
penetration for fruit color, adequate airflow
between trees and efficient movement of people
during harvest. Tighter densities, such as 16 x
18 and 14 x 18, have been used with some degree of success in regions other than Georgia.
However, these densities, especially the latter,
should be approached with caution as they will
require diligent pruning and canopy architecture training in order to not have an adverse
effect on yield once the orchard reaches maturity. Some local growers are attempting tighter
densities of 10 x 15 (290 trees/acre). Since it
will not be known if this density is manageable
until the orchard matures, this is not a currently recommended strategy.

Fertilization

Soil pH should be adjusted to 6.5 with dolomitic limestone before planting. Phosphorus
should also be incorporated in the soil by adding 150 pounds per acre of triple superphosphate if the phosphorus level is less than 20
pounds per acre.
If you are planting small plants, a small
amount of non-burning, controlled-release
nursery fertilizer is recommended to help with
establishment. If you are planting a 1 gallonsize plant, a suggested rate of fertilization is
1 ounce of 10-10-10 per foot of bush height
three times a year (early spring, late spring
and summer) applied evenly in a circle about
18 inches in diameter with the plant in the
center. Continue to increase the diameter of
the circle and the rate as the plants grow, up to
a maximum of 8 ounces per application when
the plants are 8 feet tall. Under conditions of
heavy rainfall or very sandy soil, additional

The first harvest is in year three, but these

fruit will tend to be small and late-maturing.
The focus should be on tree growth as opposed
Pomegranate Production

University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Circular 997

fertilizer should be applied. Nitrogen rates in

California can be up to 100 pounds per acre per
year on mature trees. Phosphorus and potassium should be applied based on soil and leaf
analysis.

duced costs associated with pruning suckers.

Though this approach is popular in California,
it has not been readily adopted by other pomegranate-producing regions of the world.
One major advantage of the multi-trunk approach is that if a freeze event occurs and
damages a portion of branches, you can simply
remove them and train a vigorous sucker to
take their place without a significant loss in
production. In the single-trunk system, you
would have to replace the entire tree.

It is very important to note that excessive

nitrogen in the late summer to early fall will
have a detrimental impact on fruit color and
size, and may also increase the susceptibility of
the tree to early chilling temperatures. As for
other macronutrients, phosphorus and potassium need only be applied if soil tests or leaf
analysis indicate a deficiency. One of the few
common deficiencies found in pomegranate is
zinc, which appears as unusual yellowing of
the leaves. If required, a foliar zinc application
in the spring after fruit set is recommended.

The single-trunk system requires more labor

while establishing the canopy architecture and
placing supporting wires, but requires less
labor after the orchard is established relative
to the perpetual removal of suckers required in
the multi-trunk system. However, the multitrunk system will not require as many supporting wires.

Pruning and Training

There are two common approaches for training

a pomegranate plant: single or multi-trunked.
The multi-trunked form is probably best in
Georgia. The single-trunk plant has a short
(12-18) trunk with five to six major branches
diverging to form a vase-shaped structure. The
multi-trunk plant has three to six of the strong
branches developed directly from the ground.

For single-trunk production, remove all but the

strongest sucker and select branches off this
sucker. For a multi-trunk system, select five or
six vigorous suckers and allow them to grow,
or, as a compromise between the two approaches, use a triple-trunk system (Figure 3).
Pomegranates require pruning each year, and
unneeded growth and suckers should be re-

The single-trunk approach has the advantages

of easier orchard floor maintenance and re-

Figure 3. Examples of multi-trunk (left), single-trunk (center) and triple-trunk (right) tree training strategies.
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Circular 997

Pomegranate Production

moved regularly. Short fruiting spurs appear

primarily on two- or three-year-old wood, and
are found growing mostly on the outer perimeter of the canopy. Light annual pruning encourages growth of new fruit spurs, while more
aggressive pruning will significantly impact
yield. Therefore, pruning must be performed
on an annual or semi-annual basis in order
to minimize the onerous task of aggressive
pruning, and to reduce the likelihood of removing excessive amounts of fruit-bearing (older)
wood.

the blooms appear early in the spring and will

result in the largest fruit at maturity.
There are two types of blooms: hermaphroditic
and functionally male. The hermaphroditic
fruit-bearing flowers can be identified by their
fuller, more rounded base, which appears
somewhat peanut or bell-shaped. The male
non-fruit-bearing flowers will be more narrow
and vase-shaped (Figure 4).
A

Major pruning should take place during the

winter months prior to bud break, with minor
pruning for sucker removal in mid-summer.
Major pruning is where the tree architecture
is established. Efforts should be made to maintain an open, vase-shaped tree with enough
lateral branches to support the tree (including
the weight of the fruit) without excessively inhibiting airflow, sunlight penetration or excessive fruit rub on windy days.

The weight of the fruit on a branch can be

substantial. Support these branches to ensure
that fruit does not come into contact with the
orchard floor, remains clear of farm equipment
and is away from ground-level critters. Injury
from wind, called limb rub or wind scars, are
wounds that can have a major impact on quality for fruit intended for the fresh market, and
can lead to entry points for pathogens. Trees
can be maintained at a height that minimizes
ladder work by the harvest crews (approximately 9 feet), though trees will naturally grow
to 10-12 feet. After year five, ground suckers
may be controlled with careful use of herbicides.

Figure 4. The exterior (A) and interior (B), of the vaseshaped male (left flower) and peanut-shaped hermaphroditic (right flower) pomegranate.

Pathogens

There is limited information about the disease

pressures specific to pomegranates produced
in Georgia. The information that is available
so far has been obtained from harvested fruit,
and no information is currently available about
the economically important pathogens that
may be present on pomegranate leaves and in
the orchard environment. In general, the fruit
and trees are considered reasonably diseasetolerant. Currently, there are no registered
products for the control of diseases.

Pollination

Pomegranates are self-fruitful. The primary

pollination vectors are insects and hummingbirds. Bloom begins in April and continues
through to June, either in a continuous manner
or in three to four flushes (variety dependent).
It is not unusual for pomegranate to produce
flowers well into fall; however, the majority of

Pomegranate Production

University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Circular 997

Figure 5. Example of Cercospora punicae (left) and Botryosphaeria spp (right). Photographs courtesy of Dr.
Harald Scherm and Lucky Mehra, UGA Department of Plant Pathology.

it is not present in other production regions in

the state.

With respect to the known pathogens from

Georgia, fruit harvested from the Ponder Farm
Pomegranate Orchard displayed symptoms
caused by the infection of Cercospora punicae
and Botrysphaeria spp. (Figure 5). Other organisms that were also present on the fruit
(but did not cause any symptoms) included:
Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Colletotrichum,
Epicoccum, Penicillium, Pestalotia and Phomopsis spp. Further surveys and studies on the
pomegranate diseases in Georgia are needed.
Pomegranate growers are encouraged to report
their experiences to their local county agent or
Extension offices.

Other U.S. production areas, including Florida,

have found an unidentified fungal disease
that can affect both fruit and leaf tissues. The
leaf symptoms include small spots or angular
regions that are dark red-brown in color and
about -inch in diameter. Fruit symptoms appear as dark brown spots. Presence of the disease causes premature leaf and fruit drop. The
described disease may be Cercospora punicae,
or may be some other unknown disease. It was
treated with a copper fungicide in late spring
and early summer with reasonable success.

One of the most interesting findings was that

Alternaria spp. was not present. This is a
major problem in some other production areas
(California). Alternaria spp. usually enters
the fruit during bloom/fruit set. As the fruit
develops, the fungus spreads through the
interior of the fruit, while leaving the exterior untouched. This type of disease is often
called black heart or heart rot, and there
is no known method of control. There is some
evidence suggesting that occurrence is greater
when moisture is present during bloom. Even
though Alternaria spp. was not present at the
Ponder Farm orchard that does not mean that
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Circular 997

Pests

There is no information about the pest pressures specific to pomegranates produced in

Georgia. The only products available for pest
management of pomegranate include: Lannate,
Admire and Dipel. There are opportunities for
using chemicals that are considered reducedrisk or that carry tolerance-exempt status.
These products can be used on any crop, and
include: B.t. sprays, soaps, sulphur dusting,
plant oils and omnivorous leafroller pheromone
mating disruption.
7

Pomegranate Production

rently available, but it is known that they will

differ significantly from the benchmark values
established for this cultivar.

So far, there have been few insect pest problems on Georgia pomegranate farms. However,
other U.S. production areas have problems
with the following pests: Flat mite (Brevipalpus lewisi), omnivorous leafroller (Platynola
stultana), root-knot nematode, mealybug,
melon aphid, thrips, whitefly, scale (citricola,
black and California red) and katydid. However, very few of these have caused any significant damage, and seldom required control.
If mites become an issue, a sulphur dusting in
June followed by a second application in July
(if necessary) can offer some protection. White
aphids in these other production regions are
routinely controlled using soap, but can also be
controlled with an application of Lannate. The
use of dormant oil sprays (3 percent) in winter
has been effective against scale. However, more
research is required to first identify and then
determine an appropriate recommendation for
the control of Georgia pomegranate pests.

Compared to other similar crops, pomegranates

are easy to harvest and require minimal ladder
work (assuming proper pruning and training of
the tree). Fruit are harvested by clipping them
with shears (Figure 6). Cut as close to the fruit
as possible to prevent a sharp point of wood
from piercing and rubbing against other fruit
in the bin. Fruit are placed either directly into
bins located in the orchard, or into shoulder
harness baskets (identical to those used in the
apple industry) while working around the tree.
Either way, fruit should be handled with care
in order to minimize scuffing or cracking (a
strong bump may cause the fruit to split open).

Harvest Maturity

Pomegranates in general do not have a synchronized single spring bloom and can have
shoot flushes that bear flowers throughout the
warmer parts of the year. Early cultivars will
begin to ripen near the end of August, and will
continue through to October or early November
for the late-maturing cultivars. Except for intensive production where once-over harvesting
is occasionally practiced, plan on harvesting
two to four times per season.
Harvest maturity is determined by sugar and
acid contents, sugar:acid ratio and the color development of the fruit. With experience, proper
harvest maturity can also be determined by
tapping the fruit and listening for a metallic
ting sound. In general, for Wonderful, the
acids should be lower than 1.85 percent, soluble sugar content greater than 16 to 17 percent
and the sugar:acid ratio greater than 18.5. A
Munsell color chart has been used for determining the color score of the fruit rind. However, rind color values will vary with season and
should only be used in combination with other
maturity tests. Harvest maturity indices for
cultivars other than Wonderful are not curPomegranate Production

Figure 6. (Top) Use clipping shears and cut as close to

the fruit base as possible. (Bottom) Nikitski ranni near
harvest at Ponder Farm, Tifton, Ga.
8

University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Circular 997

Postharvest Handling and Storage

Chilling injury appears as the browning of the

white interlocular membrane and arils. Arils
will lose their desirable pigment and will also
soften, resulting in higher levels of pathogenicity (Figure 7).

Postharvest handling of pomegranate is similar to that of apple. After harvest, fruit are
transported to a sorting facility in a timely
manner. It is not necessary to pre-cool fruit
after harvest, but fruit will benefit from being
placed into cold storage as soon as possible after harvest. Fruit destined for the fresh market
should be washed with chlorine, rinsed with
water and sorted by culls, cracks, defects, color,
size and weight. Fruit should also be treated
with a postharvest fungicide such as Scholar
(Syngenta), especially if they will be placed
into longer-term cold storage. A storage wax
can also be applied to promote the visual quality of the fruit and increase its storage life by
reducing moisture loss. Fruit destined for the
fresh market can either be placed in storage
bins (for later packaging) or packaged immediately into appropriate cartons for the desired
market (e.g., cardboard bin for 28, 25, 22 or
5 pounds). Pomegranates are sorted into two
grades, 1 or 2.

Figure 7. Chilling injury in Don Sumner South Tree after

eight weeks of storage in air at 5C (41F).

Fruit can be stored up to six weeks in openair storage or five months using controlled
atmosphere storage (CA). CA is also useful for
controlling the incidence of storage scald (the
browning of the red pigments in the rind of the
fruit). For high quality fruit, the lowest temperature used should be 41F for short-term
storage (less than three weeks); 45F is more
appropriate for longer-term storage. For fruit
with known disease pressures, it is advisable
to store for less than three weeks at a reduced
temperature of 32-34F. Low temperature discourages pathogen growth and spread, but will
also cause chilling injury in fruit stored longer
than three weeks. This will ultimately result in
increased pathogenicity during and after removal from low temperature storage.

Peeling a Pomegranate

Pomegranates are often cited as being difficult

to peel and the juice can readily stain clothing.
The following describes a technique for minimizing juice stains and increasing the ease of
aril removal.
When preparing the fruit in a kitchen, first
slice off the calyx of the fruit with a knife.
Carefully score the exposed surface into quarters. Fill a bucket or other container with water, and then submerge the fruit. With the fruit
submerged, pry open the fruit along the score
lines and remove the arils with a rolling action
under your thumb. The arils will sink to the
bottom of the container, while all the pulp, peel
and damaged seeds will float to the top. Once
you have finished, remove the floating debris
and pour the water through a suitable strain.
With practice, a pomegranate can be peeled in
minutes. Commercial scale equipment for aril
removal is available from a select number of
manufacturers based out of Israel and India.

Chilling injury is a time by temperature interaction. A relatively short period at a low

temperature may not cause damage, but an
extended period at that same temperature
will. It is important to select a temperature
appropriate for the anticipated storage period.

University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Circular 997

Pomegranate Production

Juicing a Pomegranate

Sources

Pomegranate juice has increased in popularity because of its nutritional value and taste.
Juice is a more convenient way of ingesting the
beneficial health compounds that are present
in the fruit. However, different pomegranate
cultivars will have varying levels of juice yield,
color and antioxidant content. Furthermore,
the optimum processing conditions that affect
these quality aspects might vary depending on
the cultivar.

Devin Carroll, Bernard Puget, Brad Higbee,

Matt Quist, Octavio Magallenes, Norman
Smith, Andreaa Gjerde and Ken Schneider.
2006. Pomegranate pest management in the
San Joaquin valley. www.aaie.net/IPMinfo/
PomegranatePestManagement_002.pdf
Richard Ashton, with Barbara Baer and David
Silverstein. 2006. The incredible pomegranate plant and fruit. Third Mellennium Publishing. http://3mpub.com

Home juice production can be simply accomplished by separating the arils (as described
above) and then pressing the arils in cheesecloth, or using an electric blender followed by
straining to remove the seeds. Laboratory scale
juice extraction can involve numerous steps,
including: opening the fruit, separating the
arils and pressing to extract the juice. Numerous other optional steps then follow to strain,
filter, purify and pasteurize the juice prior to
bottling. In all cases, temperature control is
very important. For home juice production,
juice should be consumed fresh or stored in the
refrigerator for only a short period of time.

Robert Hodgson. 1917. The pomegranate. College of Agriculture, Agricultural Experiment Station, Berkeley, California. University of California Press. Bulletin no. 276.
Julian Sauls. 1998. Home fruit production
pomegranate. Texas Citrus and Subtropical Fruits, in association with Texas A&M
University. http://aggiehorticulture.tamu.
edu/Citrus/pomegranate.htm
James LaRue. 1977. Growing pomegranates in
California. University of California DANR
Leaflet 2459.

Before choosing a variety for juicing, several

different quality aspects need to be considered.
Some cultivars may have the desirable color
and antioxidant content, but may not have
the best yield. For example, 13 Georgia-grown
pomegranate cultivars were evaluated for
juice yield and antioxidant content. Juice yield
ranged from 24 to 39 percent of fruit weight,
while there was a two-fold range in antioxidants from the lowest to highest. Thus, it is
desirable to conduct a small study to determine
juice yield. This can be easily done with the
weight of the whole fruit and the weight of the
juice using the following formula:

Gerard Krewer, Thomas Crocker, Paul Bertrand and Dan Horton. Minor fruit and nuts
in Georgia. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Bulletin 992.
Sheets, M.D., Du Bois, M.L., Williamson,
J.G. 1994. The Pomegranate. University of
Florida IFAS extension publication #HS44.

%juice = Juice weight100

Whole fruit weight
To determine other quality aspects, such as
color, antioxidant content, sugar and acid content, a private laboratory may be used.

Pomegranate Production

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University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Circular 997

University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Circular 997

11

Pomegranate Production

Circular 997

Reviewed January 2014

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