Order: Myrtales

Family: Punicaceae

Genus: Punica

Species: Punica granatum L.

Its homeland is Southwest Asia, South Asia, Near East, Middle East, Iran, Afghanistan, South Caucasus, Anatolia. Spread from the motherland region to Iran, Syria, Palestine and Mesopotamia, BC. It went to Egypt, North Africa, Cyprus, Crete, Spain and Italy in the 1500s, and was taken to the Americas in 1521. Pomegranates are drought resistant. It can be grown in areas with an altitude of 1000 m, between the tropics and 40th latitudes, where the Mediterranean precipitation regime is effective. It can withstand cold down to -10°C. Annual precipitation of 500 mm is sufficient. If the plant, which loves plenty of sun, is watered intermittently in summer, the yield increases. In wetter regions, they may face root rot, which is often caused by botyritis fungus.

Comercially valuable varieties suitable for long-term storage

Wonderful (California and Israel), Mollar and Tendral (Spain), Schahvar and Robab (Iran), Hicaznar and Beynar (Turkey), Zehri and Gabsi (Tunisia) pomegranates.

Pomegranate Harvest

Fruits reach maturity in September-November, 4.5 / 5.5 months after full bloom. Harvest scissors are used. Pomegranate is a fruit that does not show climacteric. Maturity criteria are usually cultivar-specific sugar/acid ratio, skin and grain color. Early harvest reduces the quality of the fruit. Waiting for full maturity may expose the grower to fruit cracking.

Pre-harvest and near-harvest precipitation for pomegranates while the fruits are on the tree also causes cracking problems, which reduces the commercial value, and is very inconvenient in terms of long-term storage. Botyritis, which comes from the garden and rots the fruit on the fruit, especially from the crown part, is a harmful condition that increases the risk of fungus.

Optimum conditions for Pomegranate Storage   

As with all fruits, the product should be brought to the warehouse as soon as possible after harvest, and it should be put into the cold chain by lowering the core temperature with pre-cooling. Reducing the core temperature as soon as possible is the golden rule for long-term storage, as with all fruits. It depends on this to maximize the storage time in the current product. In pomegranate, the temperature should be ± 5°C and the humidity should be in the range of 90-95%. It can be stored for 3-4 months with gradual loss of quality under normal atmospheric conditions. In general, one of the most important factors in terms of storability in fruit species is the sugar content of the fruit. The high sugar content in fruit is a feature that accelerates fermentation. Therefore, it is possible to say that even in different sweeter varieties of the same fruit, the storage times are shortened inversely. Apart from that, even in species suitable for long-term storage, harvest time is very important for similar reasons. The harvest time of the harvested fruits should be done neither before nor after this time, and on the right days as it should be. This situation is associated with the amount of solid matter and sugar taken from the tree before harvest in order to extend the storage period of the fruit.

Pomegranate with Controlled Atmosphere Storage

The controlled atmosphere conditions of pomegranate are between 3% and above for O2 and 8-12% for CO2. With a controlled atmosphere system, for especially botyritis which comes from the garden it is possible to keep the contamination inside the cold store under control, and to keep the inner membrane darkening under control. With the appropriate temperature and gas values, the storage period of the pomegranate can be up to 7 months. During this period, the fruit can be stored almost preserving the quality it entered into the warehouse. When aiming for a long term such as 7 months, it is necessary to increase the temperature to about 7 degrees against chilling damage due to the juicy and sugary structure of the pomegranate. However, the net storage protocol values (O2, CO2, Temperature and Humidity) may vary due to many conditions such as the harvest time of the fruit in that season, the climate of the year in which the fruit is grown, the type of pomegranate, the soil / irrigation / harvesting type and garden characteristics. For fully controlled atmosphere protocols, information and professional support should be obtained from expert institutions, related horticultural departments of universities, and experienced private consultants.       

We help our customers who prefer us as a solution partner for pomegranate storage systems in controlled atmosphere, via specialized organizations or individual consultants who will provide the most accurate and appropriate solution on the subject.

Controlled Atmosphere Equipments      

Our storage products

 - Controlled Atmosphere automation

 - Oxygen Scrubber

 - Carbon Dioxide Scrubber

*An important note. The above data are scientific recommendations that contain general storage conditions that are not specific to a specific region. Therefore, this information is only indicative and no rights or obligations can be derived from it. For more detailed professional and product-specific recommendations, please consult local research institutes or relevant university departments and seek professional support.

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