Effect of Mechanical Deblossoming on Fruit Development in Pomegranate (Punica Granatum L.)

The present investigations were carried out in New Orchard of the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during 1995 and 1996. Flower buds in Ganesh-1 and Kandhari cultivars were removed manually on and afterwards 7th, 15th & 22nd April and 15th, 22nd & 30th April, respectively. Control trees were left to flower continuously. The fruit length, diameter and volume showed a linear pattern of growtf: throughout the period of fruit development in both the cultivars. The periodic increase in fruit growth (length, diameter and volume) was higher in treatments where deblossoming was resorted to on an early date than the control. Tree scoring at the time of fruit maturity and marketable fruits at harvesting was the best in early deblossoming dates that the late ones in both the cultivars.