Influence of Winter Pruning Intensity on Growth, Yield and Fruit Quality in Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cv. Bhagwa

Abstract

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is a commercially important fruit crop valued for its nutritional, medicinal and export potential. However, its natural tendency to produce numerous suckers results in excessive canopy density, which limits light penetration and air circulation and adversely affects photosynthesis, fruit yield and quality. Information on the optimum winter pruning intensity for pomegranate under the subtropical sub-montane and low-hill conditions of Himachal Pradesh remains limited. The present study was therefore conducted during 2022 and 2023 to evaluate the effects of pruning at 10 cm (T₁), 15 cm (T₂), 20 cm (T₃) and 25 cm (T₄), compared with an unpruned control (T₅), on the growth, fruit yield and fruit-quality characteristics of five-year-old ‘Bhagwa’ pomegranate trees. The experiment was laid out in a randomised block design, and pruning was conducted during the second fortnight of January in both years. Moderate pruning at 20 cm produced the highest fruit set (78.87%) and fruit yield (9.93 kg tree⁻¹). Severe pruning at 25 cm produced the highest leaf area (12.54 cm²), total chlorophyll content (4.17 mg g⁻¹), fruit weight (217.85 g), fruit length (84.81 mm), fruit breadth (76.90 mm), TSS (13.07 °Brix), TSS/acid ratio (42.82), ascorbic acid content (20.08 mg 100 mL⁻¹), total sugars (12.40%), anthocyanin content (43.75 mg 100 mL⁻¹), total phenolic content (124.12 mg GAE 100 mL⁻¹), juice content (35.12%) and aril content (55.97%). These findings indicate that moderate winter pruning at 20 cm is suitable for maximising fruit yield, whereas severe pruning at 25 cm is more effective for improving fruit quality.