Pomegranates promising in Georgia

The newly founded Georgia Pomegranate Association, comprised primarily of blueberry growers, wanted to try pomegranate production as an alternative high-value crop to compliment their blueberry production. Many basic questions regarding pomegranate cultivation, handling and processing need to be answered, and are inhibiting industry expansion. One of the most important questions is which cultivar to plant. To determine which cultivars are most suitable for Georgia, UGA scientists conducted a harvest and post-harvest quality assessment on fruit obtained from established orchards. They also established a new orchard in Tifton to test new cultivars acquired from germplasm sources around the world.This project identified 3-5 cultivars that perform well in many aspects of tree productivity, fruit quality, storage potential, and consumer visual and taste appeal. A new Extension publication is now available to help growers. The first SE Regional Pomegranate Workshop was held in September. Participants from South Carolina and Florida, as well as growers and researchers from Georgia attended. The program included orchard tours, pomegranate taste tests and discussion towards joint regional research initiatives.