Morpho-Biochemical Assessment of Pomegranate Germplasm Under Subtropical Climatic Conditions of Faisalabad, Pakistan

A field study was conducted for assessment five different varieties of pomegranate (Tarnab gulabi, NARC-1, NARC-2, Kandhari and Sultan) under subtropical agro-climatic conditions. The investigation was conducted under RCBD (randomized complete block design) with five treatments and three replications. Various morphological (plant height, leaf area), fruit physical (fruit size, fruit weight, seed%, juice % and peel %) and biochemical (TSS, pH, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid contents, total sugars, reducing sugars and non-reducing sugars, total antioxidants and total phenols) parameters were studied. Findings noted were subjected to variance analysis at 5% probability. Wide morph-biochemical variation was observed for most of the examined traits. Results showed that NARC-I showed highest value for fruit weight (224.07g), juice % (34.33%), non-reducing sugars (4.53%), titratable acidity (1.67%) and total antioxidant contents (4.53 DPPH inhibition %age) in juice. Kandhari had maximum seed % (42.67%), peel % (39.23%) and vitamin C (12.13 mg/100ml) contents. Highest plant height (11.23 feet), leaf area (1031.4mm), juice pH (3.43), TSS (19.20 brix), reducing sugars (11.70%) and total phenols (11.70 µg GAE L-1) was observed in Sultan strain. Based on the outcomes of this investigation, it can be concluded that Sultan performed better in terms of vegetative and fruit physical and bio-chemical attributes under subtropical agro-climatic conditions of Faisalabad.