ABSTRACT
I.INTRODUCTION Pomegranate(PunicagranatumL.)isafavoritefruitoftropicalandsubtropicalregions.Ithas enjoyedareputationforitshealthydieteticandmedicinalproperties.Inrecentyears,thearea underthiscrophasincreasedsubstantially,mainlybecauseoftheversatility,adaptability, droughtresistance,lowmaintenancecosts,andsteadyandhighyieldsofthecrop.Thepomegranatefruithastherapeuticvalue,goodkeepingqualityandexportpotential.Pomegranateisgrown mainlyfortablepurpose.ThisfruitcropisknowntohavebeencultivatedintheMiddleEastmore than5000yearsago.WildpomegranatestillexistsinthenorthofSyriaandonMountCarmel(1). ItisfoundinvariousregionsfromtheCaucasustoAfghanistan.ThewildtypesinCentralAsia showawiderangeofvariationinsizeoffruit,sweetness,timeofripening,juiciness,and proportionofseedstoflesh.PomegranateisgrownasacommercialcropinIndiaandIran,andis cultivatedextensivelyinSpain,Morocco,Egypt,Afghanistan,andBaluchistan.Itisalsogrown tosomeextentinBurma,China,Japan,andpartsoftheUnitedStates.
