Effect of mechanical deblossoming on flowering and fruitset in pomegranate cvs. Ganesh-1 and Kandhari

Three types of flowers, viz., thrum, homostylous and pin were observed in pomegranate cultivars Ganesh-1 and Kandhari. All the thrum flowers produced were abscised, which contributed approximately 80 per cent of the total flower drop. On the contrary, pin flower drop varied from 1.1 to 9.9% and 6.5 to 9.1% in Ganesh-1 and Kandhari respectively. Higher proportion of pin flowers, fruit set (%) and uniformity in fruit size was observed in the early flowering season, whereas number of male flowers increased with the advancement of flowering period. It is suggested that the deblossoming of flowers/buds in pomegranate should be carried out on the criteria of total pin flowers production under certain climatic conditions.