Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Influence of Pruning Intensity on Physical and Biochemical Fruit Attributes of Pomegranate

  • Original Article / Originalbeitrag
  • Published:
Erwerbs-Obstbau Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Punica granatum L., an ancient and beloved fruit in Mediterranean, tropical and subtropical regions, is popular due to the organoleptic characteristics its arils as well as its nutritional and therapeutic benefits in the treatment of cancer, indigestion and leprosy. The current research was planned with a two-factor (pruning level and three cultivars) factorial randomized complete block design (RCBD) consisting of four different intensities of pruning replicated four times. The commercial varieties of the pomegranate are harvested from the last week of July to the second week of August in the southern Punjab of Pakistan, but it also occurs on the same commercial varieties that a few spurs do not mature in the normal season and remain in a vegetative phase of growth. These spurs mature in August, September and November, and their fruit may be harvested in these months. The fruit harvested in these months are of poor quality due to the temperature fall. For the current research, 8‑year-old pomegranate trees with four replications per treatment and single trees at an experimental unit were used. Pruning treatments included control (T0), sucker removal (T1), water shoot removal (T2) and sucker + water shoot removal (T3). The results revealed that the lowest disease incidence (5.8), disease severity (2.4%), sunburn incidence (4.1%) and sunburn severity (2.7%) was obtained in the ‘Sindhuri’ cultivar when T3 was applied, followed by T2, T1 and T0. T3 improved fruit yield (8.45%) fruit weight (18.1%), firmness (21.6%), juice contents (18.45%), total soluble solids (10.85%), total phenolic contents (4.8%), anthocyanin (11.6%), total antioxidant activity (10.8%), superoxide dismutase (3.84%), catalase (5.71%) and peroxidase (28.5%) compared to control or other treatments. However, T3 reduced peel thickness (13.2%) and titratable acidity (7.14%) compared to control or other treatments. Of the three cultivars, the ‘Sava’ cultivar showed the highest response to pruning, followed by ‘Sindhuri’ and ‘Kalehar’. Thus, it is concluded that the water shoots and suckers must be removed from pomegranate trees to improve various fruit quality attributes with minimum sunburn and disease intensity levels.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adhikari S, Kandel TP (2015) Effect of time and level of pruning on vegetative growth, flowering, yield, and quality of guava. Int J Fruit Sci 15(3):290–301. https://doi.org/10.1080/15538362.2015.1015762

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ahmad S, Chatha ZA, Nasir MA, Aziz A, Virk NA, Khan AR (2006) Effect of pruning on the yield and quality of Kinnow fruit. J Agric Soc Sci 2(1):51–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Hmadawi AM, Al–Numani RM, Wasan HAS (2011) Effect of pruning and spraying with N, Ca and GA3 on some characters of fruits and percentage of cracking offig cv. Asowd Diala. Euphrates J Agric Sci 3(2):37–44

    Google Scholar 

  • Ali K, Ali K, Bekir EA (2014) Effects of summer and dormant pruning time on the vegetative growth, yield, fruit quality and carbohydrate contents of two peach cultivars. African Journal of Biotechnology 13(1):84–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Ashraf N, Ashraf M (2014) Summer pruning in fruit trees. Afr J Agric Res 9(2):206–210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Asrey R, Patel VB, Barman K, Pal RK (2013) Pruning affects fruit yield and postharvest quality in mango (Mangifera Indica L.) Cv. Amrapali. Fruits 68(5):367–380

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chandra R, Singh KK (2015) Foliar application of zinc sulphate, magnesium sulphate and copper sulphate on the yield and quality of Aonla (Emblica Officinallis Gaerth L.) Cv.‘NA-7’ under Garhwal Himalaya. Himal J Med Plants Stud 3(5):42–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Dhaliwal HS, Banke AK, Sharma LK, Bali SK (2014) Impact of pruning practices on shoot growth and bud production in Kinnow (citrus Reticulata Blanco) plants. J Exp Biol Agric Sci 1(7):507–513

    Google Scholar 

  • Fattahi E, Jafari A, Fallahi E (2020) Hand thinning influence on fruit quality attributes of pomegranate (Punica Granatum L. Cv. ‘Malase Yazdi’). Int J Fruit Sci 20(sup2):S377–S386. https://doi.org/10.1080/15538362.2020.1735602

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gardner PT, White TAC, McPhail DB, Duthie GG (2000) The relative contributions of vitamin C, carotenoids and phenolics to the antioxidant potential of fruit juices. Food Chem 68(4):471–474

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hasani GH, Rezaei R (2007) Effect of training system and rate of pruning on yield and quality of peach fruit

    Google Scholar 

  • Hussain SB, Anjum MA, Hussain S, Ejaz S, Kamran HM (2017) Agro-climatic conditions affect fruit quality of Mandarin (citrus Reticulata Blanco) cultivars. Fruits 72(6):341–349

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Intrigliolo F, Roccuzzo G (2011) Modern trends of citrus pruning in Italy. In: Modern trends of citrus pruning in Italy, pp 187–192

    Google Scholar 

  • Jadhav VT, Sharma KK (2011) Integrated management of diseases in pomegranate. Acta Hortic 890:467–474

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jing D‑W, Liu F‑C, Wang M‑Y, Hai-Lin Ma Du Z‑Y, Ma B‑Y, Dong Y‑F (2017) Effects of root pruning on the physicochemical properties and microbial activities of poplar rhizosphere soil. PLoS ONE 12(11):e187685

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Lavola A, Julkunen-Tiitto R, de la Rosa TM, Lehto T, Aphalo PJ (2000) Allocation of carbon to growth and secondary metabolites in birch seedlings under UV‑B radiation and CO2 exposure. Physiol Plant 109(3):260–267

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lemus G (2009) Innovative methods of walnut production in South America. In: VI International Walnut Symposium, vol 861, pp 191–198

    Google Scholar 

  • Mali DS, Ranpise SA, Kulkarni SS, Nikumbhe PH (2016) Influence of pruning techniques on yield and fruit quality attributes in high density planting of guava Cv. Sardar. Ecol Environ Conserv 22:411–414

    Google Scholar 

  • Mercier V, Bussi C, Plenet D, Lescourret F (2008) Effects of limiting irrigation and of manual pruning on brown rot incidence in peach. Crop Prot 27(3–5):678–688

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nagar D, Meena KK, Mukherjee S, Garg S (2018) Effect of pruning intensity, crop load and fertigation on growth attributes in Pomegranate var. Bhagwa under Jaipur condition. J Pharmacogn Phytochem 7(5):83–85

    Google Scholar 

  • Nasir M, Khan AS, Basra SMA, Malik AU (2016) Foliar application of moringa leaf extract, potassium and zinc influence yield and fruit quality of ‘Kinnow’ mandarin. Sci Hortic 210:227–235

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Naz S, Gallart-Ayala H, Reinke SN, Mathon C, Blankley R, Chaleckis R, Wheelock CE (2017) Development of a liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry metabolomics method with high specificity for metabolite identification using all Ion fragmentation acquisition. Anal Chem 89(15):7933–7942

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Razzaq K, Khan AS, Ullah AM, Shahid M (2013) Ripening period influences fruit softening and antioxidative system of ‘Samar Bahisht Chaunsa’ mango. Sci Hortic 160:108–114

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Riedle-Bauer M, Hanak K, Regner F, Tiefenbrunner W (2010) Influence of pruning measures on recovery of bois noir-infected grapevines. J Phytopathol 158(9):628–632

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharma DP, Chauhan JS (2003) Response of pruning intensities and fertilizer treatments on yield, fruit quality and photosynthetic efficiency of peach. In: VII International Symposium on Temperate Zone Fruits in the Tropics and Subtropics, vol 662, pp 237–241

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharma DP, Singh N (2018) Effect of rejuvenation pruning on the growth, productivity and disease incidence in declining trees of pomegranate (Punica Granatum L.) Cv. Kandhari Kabuli. J Appl Nat Sci 10(1):358–362. https://doi.org/10.31018/jans.v10i1.1630

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma DP, Chakma J, Sharma N, Singh N (2017) Effect of different orchard management practices on the growth and production of rejuvenated of pomegranates (Punica Granatum L.) Cv. Kandhari Kabuli. J Appl Nat Sci 9(1):577–581

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma RR, Datta SC, Varghese E (2018) Effect of Surround WP®, a kaolin-based particle film on sunburn, fruit cracking and postharvest quality of ‘Kandhari’ pomegranates. Crop Prot 114:18–22

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh G, Singh AK, Rajan S (2001) Influence of pruning date on fruit yield of guava (Psidium Guajava L.) under subtropics. J Appl Hortic 3(1):37–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh S, Dhillon WS, Singh N (2012) Effect of heading back on photosynthesis, yield and fruit quality in pear. Not Sci Biol 4(4):90–94

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steel RGD, Torrie JH, Dicky DA (1997) Principles and procedures of statistics: A biological approach, 3rd edn. McGraw-Hill, New York, pp 352–358

    Google Scholar 

  • Umar M, Ahmad S, Sakeena Tul-Ain H, Naz S (2019) Effect of pruning to improve yield and fruit quality of ‘Kinnow’ mandarin plants under high density plantation. J Hortic Sci Technol 2(3):85–89. https://doi.org/10.46653/jhst190203085

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warade SD, Joshi VR, Masalkar SD, Kulkarni SR (2009) Effect of different mulches on yield and quality of pomegranate. In: 2nd International Symposium on “Pomegranate and Minor Including Mediterrenean Fruits”, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad. P, vol 104

    Google Scholar 

  • Zheng Y, Wang SY, Wang CY, Zheng W (2007) Changes in strawberry phenolics, anthocyanins, and antioxidant capacity in response to high oxygen treatments. LWT Food Sci Technol 40(1):49–57

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research paper is the first author’s PhD dissertation submitted to the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, Islamabad, for the award of doctoral degree in Horticulture.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Horticulture, Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture, 66000, Multan, Pakistan

    Ghulam Mustafa, Ishtiaq Ahmad Rajwana & Hafiz Nazar Faried

  2. Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences, MNS University of Agriculture, 66000, Multan, Pakistan

    Tanveer Ul Haq

  3. Horticultural Research Station, 63100, Bahawalpur, Pakistan

    Muhammad Azhar Bashir

Authors
  1. Ghulam Mustafa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ishtiaq Ahmad Rajwana
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hafiz Nazar Faried
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Tanveer Ul Haq
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Muhammad Azhar Bashir
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Ghulam Mustafa: Data Collection and Writing-up, Ishtiaq Ahmed Rajwana: Research Supervision, Planning and Execution, Hafiz Nazar Faried: Review and Editing: Tanveer Ul Haq and Azhar Basheer: Co-Supervision of the research activities.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ghulam Mustafa.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

G. Mustafa, I.A. Rajwana, H.N. Faried, T.U. Haq and M.A. Bashir declare that they have no competing interests.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature oder sein Lizenzgeber (z.B. eine Gesellschaft oder ein*e andere*r Vertragspartner*in) hält die ausschließlichen Nutzungsrechte an diesem Artikel kraft eines Verlagsvertrags mit dem/den Autor*in(nen) oder anderen Rechteinhaber*in(nen); die Selbstarchivierung der akzeptierten Manuskriptversion dieses Artikels durch Autor*in(nen) unterliegt ausschließlich den Bedingungen dieses Verlagsvertrags und dem geltenden Recht.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Mustafa, G., Rajwana, I.A., Faried, H.N. et al. The Influence of Pruning Intensity on Physical and Biochemical Fruit Attributes of Pomegranate. Erwerbs-Obstbau 65, 1849–1859 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10341-022-00824-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10341-022-00824-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation