Impact of Pollination on Pomegranate Chavhan Kotesh Y1, Jagadish K S1, Shishira D1,2,*, Eswarappa G1, Uthappa A R1,2 1University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore560065, Karnataka, India 2ICAR-Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute, Goa403402, Goa, India *Email: shishira.devraj@gmail.com (corresponding author): ORCID ID 0000-0002-2073-3071
Online Published on 31 August, 2024. Abstract Pollination mode affects crop quality and quantity in several economically significant crops. This study examined the effects of open pollination, Apis cerana pollination, hand, hand+ self-pollination, and self-pollination on pomegranate fruits. Open-pollinated plants had higher fruit length, weight, rind thickness, total soluble sugars, reducing sugar content, non-reducing sugar content, and total soluble solids, followed by A. cerana pollinated plants. A. cerana pollination increased pomegranate output and quality, including fruit shape, aril weight, TSS, and sugar content. The study found that open pollination and A. cerana integration increase pomegranate fruit yield and quality. A. cerana integration boosts farmers’ income and conserves biodiversity. Top Keywords Non-reducing sugars, Apis cerana, Open pollination, Reducing sugar, Hand pollination, Fruit yield, Income, Biodiversity, Self pollination, Fruit quality. Top |