A team of researchers at the National Research Centre on Pomegranate (NRCP), Solapur, under the Indian Council for Agriculture Research, have completed genome sequencing of the fruit’s most popular indigenous variety, “Bhagawa”.
Key points
- The indigenous “Bhagawa” variety was chosen for genome sequencing as it covers around 85 per cent of the total pomegranate acreage in India with nearly 2.5 million tonnes of production last year.
- The sequencing has unlocked several mysteries related to pomegranate that is also dubbed a “wonder fruit” due to its immense nutritional value and market demand.
- The mysteries include identifying genes responsible for sweetness of the “Bhagawa” variety, seed softness and the colour of the fruit, and also disease and pest resistance and the fruit’s enlar gement.
- Genome sequencing is the first step in developing new varieties of a crop.
- Pomegranate has a narrow genetic base with limited genomic information available in the public domain to support conventional breeding programmes.
- Conventional tree breeding takes very long — often more than 20 years — to release an improved variety.
- The sequencing opens up a world of opportunity for pomegranates. It will help in developing hybrid varieties and also potentially be a step toward gene editing — the latest in seed technology.
Abut pomegranates
- Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is one of the commercially important fruit crops of India.
- It is native to Iran (Persia) (Source: https://nhb.gov.in/model-project-reports/Horticulture%20Crops/Pomegranate/Pomegranate1.htm).
- This super fruit is vital for raising farmers’ income in semi-arid tropics with harsh weather conditions, sub-optimal soil, and low availability of irrigation water.
- At the global level, Iran is the world’s largest producer and exporter of pomegranates with an estimated annual production of 670,000 tons.
- India is one of the largest producers of pomegranates. It is also one of the fastest growing fruit crops in India, registering an increase of 170 per cent in acreage, 340 per cent in pr o – duction, and 264 per cent in export over the past 10 years.
- According to some estimates, the crop supports livelihoods of 2.5 million farm families in India.
