Field Trials of Pomegranate (Punica granatum) Cultivars
Applied Research
Carol Bishop
Extension Educator
University of Nevada Extension
Logandale
Abstract
The University of Nevada Extension Field Station in Northeast Clark County is conducting field trials of pomegranate (Punica granatum) cultivars not previously grown in Southern Nevada. Pomegranates are widely grown and marketed in Northeast Clark County but the market is dominated by the ‘Wonderful’ cultivar. The objectives of this research are to determine each cultivars’ potential to flourish in the region and support producers with research-based information that could benefit both established and new specialty crop producers economically.
Replicates of 18 cultivars of pomegranates as cuttings were received from Youpin Sun at Utah State. The cuttings were planted outdoors in April of 2019 in a “nursery” setting; 80 surviving plants were transplanted to the orchard in March of 2020. They were hand-watered at transplant in addition to bi- weekly drip irrigation, and pruned for structure. Plants were measured regularly for growth and fruit production. An initial blind taste testing and brix measuring was conducted in November of 2021. In fall of 2022, plants were measured for growth, along with recording number of fruit, total fruit weight and minimum and maximum fruit diameters for each plant.
In the taste test, Carolina and Arturo cultivars rated 4.7 for overall appearance against Wonderful’s rating of 4.9 (on a 5 point scale). ML rated best for aril color at 4.3 against Wonderful’s 4.9. The Mollar cultivar rated the highest of all experimental cultivars for sweetness (4.4), tartness (3.8), lack of bitterness (4.2), seed hardness (4.6), and overall desirability (3.8), and exceeded Wonderful in sweetness (4.2) and lack of bitterness (3.5). Surh-Anor tested the highest in 2021 with a brix of 17.54. For fruit production in 2022, Al-Sirin-Nar averaged 93 fruits per plant; Chiva was the least productive with 20 fruits. Surh-Anor had both the largest maximum diameter fruit at 13.06 inches and the largest average fruit weight at 0.53 lbs.
The next step in this trial is to provide a few producers with cuttings of five cultivars to replicate the trials on their properties. The varieties under consideration because of this research are: Mollar, Carolina, ML, Al-Sirin-Nar and Surh-Anor.
Poster has NOT been presented at any previous NACAA AM/PIC
This poster is being submitted only for display at AM/PIC. Poster is not to be judged, but the abstract will be published in the proceedings.
A poster file has not been provided
Authors: Carol Bishop
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Bishop, C. Extension Educator, University of Nevada Extension, Nevada, 89021-0126