Diagnosis and management of nutrient constraints in pomegranate

Pomegranate is an ancient tree fruit that has been domesticated for thousands of years and cultivated for its fruit, juice, and arils. Despite its long history of cultivation, limited consistent and reliable information on fertilizer requirements is available to growers. More scientifically based information is needed on pomegranate nutrition so that yield and profitability can be optimized for farm sustainability. It is also important that fertilizers are used responsibly so that ecological harm often associated with agricultural systems is minimized. This chapter contains grower pertinent information on pomegranate tree nutrition and management for specific growing conditions. Pomegranate is not difficult to cultivate when grown in the appropriate climate with the appropriate resources. Leaf tissue nutrition sufficiency range values are reported herein with associated yields so that growers can determine if fertilization is needed. Investigations involving nutrition of “Wonderful” pomegranate are reported from the authors’ research program and published works.