Crop details

Pomegranate (komamanga)

Punica granatum

Family: Lythraceae

Quick stats

Family	Lythraceae
Typical harvest	16.0 t/ha
Varieties	3
Pests & diseases	4
Seasons	3

Crop profile

Growth habit	shrub
Days to harvest	365
Main uses	Fresh fruit (seeds/arils), juice, flavouring, and small-scale processing into concentrates and jams.
Pollination	insect
Origin / where it grows	Pomegranate (komamanga) fits warm, relatively dry to semi-humid areas. It does well in sunny, well-drained sites and can tolerate more drought than many other fruit trees.

Weather, soil & spacing

Best temperature	18–32 °C
Rainfall	500–700 mm/yr
Altitude	0–1800 m
Best pH	6–7.5
Soil type	Well-drained loam or sandy loam. Pomegranate (komamanga) tolerates slightly poor and stony soils better than many fruit trees but still responds well to organic matter.
Row spacing	500 cm
Plant spacing	400 cm
Seed rate	kg/ha (check local recommendation)
Nursery days	270

Simple notes for farmers

About the crop: This crop has a growth habit described as "shrub". You can normally start harvesting about 365 days after planting, depending on care and variety.

Main use: Farmers mostly grow this crop for fresh fruit (seeds/arils), juice, flavouring, and small-scale processing into concentrates and jams..

Pollination: This crop is mainly pollinated by insect. Keeping flowers healthy and having insects like bees in the field helps improve fruit set and yields.

Where it grows: Pomegranate (komamanga) fits warm, relatively dry to semi-humid areas. It does well in sunny, well-drained sites and can tolerate more drought than many other fruit trees. It is grouped under: Fruits & Nuts.

Best climate: This crop does well in warm areas where the temperature is usually between 18 and 32 degrees Celsius. It prefers places that receive around 500 to 700 millimetres of rain in a year. It can grow from near sea level up to about 1800 metres above sea level.

Soil: The crop grows best in slightly acidic to near neutral soils, with a pH of about 6 to 7.5. It does well in well-drained loam or sandy loam. pomegranate (komamanga) tolerates slightly poor and stony soils better than many fruit trees but still responds well to organic matter.. Good drainage is important, so avoid waterlogged spots.

Plant spacing: Plant in rows about 500 centimetres apart, and leave about 400 centimetres between plants in the row. This gives each plant enough space for roots and canopy to spread.

Seed or planting material: Use good quality seed or healthy planting material. Follow local extension advice for the exact amount per hectare.

Nursery period: If you raise seedlings in a nursery, keep them there for about 270 days before transplanting to the main field, when they are strong and healthy.

Farmer guide (mwongozo wa mkulima)

Planting: Use healthy seedlings or grafted Pomegranate (komamanga) plants. Dig wide holes and mix topsoil with manure and a little phosphorus fertilizer. Plant at the start of the rains or irrigate well after planting. Keep the plant at the same depth as in the nursery bag.

Transplanting: Avoid bending main roots. Firm the soil around the root zone and water immediately. Mulch the basin to keep moisture and reduce weeds.

Irrigation: Provide regular moisture during establishment, flowering and fruit filling. Pomegranate (komamanga) tolerates some drought but severe water stress causes flower and fruit drop and fruit cracking.

Fertigation: Under drip, apply small doses of nitrogen early in the season and more potassium from fruit set to harvest. Avoid very heavy nitrogen late in the season to reduce excessive vegetative growth.

Pest scouting: Inspect shoots, leaves and young fruits every 1–2 weeks for aphids, whiteflies, borers, fruit borers and fungal spots. Remove and destroy badly affected fruits.

Pruning: Train Pomegranate (komamanga) as a multi-stemmed bush or small tree. Remove dead, diseased and crossing branches and thin crowded shoots after harvest to allow light inside the canopy.

Harvest: Harvest when fruits are fully coloured, the rind is firm and the fruit gives a metallic sound when tapped. Over-ripe fruits may split, especially after heavy rain or irrigation.

Postharvest: Cut fruits with a short stalk instead of pulling. Handle gently to avoid cracking. Keep fruits in shade and well-ventilated crates; do not pile too high.

Nutrient schedule (mbolea kwa hatua)

#	Stage	DAP	Product	Rate	Targets (kg/ha)	Notes
1	Basal at planting	0	Well-rotted manure + P fertilizer	8 kg/hole manure + 100 g P fertilizer	N: 0, P₂O₅: 0, K₂O: 0	Mix manure and phosphorus with topsoil in each Pomegranate (komamanga) hole.
2	Early growth topdress	120	CAN 26% N	100 g/tree	N: 0, P₂O₅: 0, K₂O: 0	Apply in a ring 30–40 cm from the stem and water in.
3	Pre-flowering NPK	240	NPK 17-17-17	200 g/tree	N: 0, P₂O₅: 0, K₂O: 0	Apply before main flowering to support bloom and fruit set.
4	Fruit filling high K	330	Sulfate of potash (SOP) or high-K blend	250 g/tree	N: 0, P₂O₅: 0, K₂O: 0	Split in 1–2 dressings during main fruit enlargement to reduce cracking.

Nutrient requirements

Nutrient	Stage	Amount	Unit
N	Establishment	25	kg/ha
P₂O₅	Establishment	25	kg/ha
K₂O	Establishment	20	kg/ha
N	Vegetative	40	kg/ha
P₂O₅	Vegetative	15	kg/ha
K₂O	Vegetative	30	kg/ha
N	Flowering_fruit_set	20	kg/ha
P₂O₅	Flowering_fruit_set	20	kg/ha
K₂O	Flowering_fruit_set	40	kg/ha
N	Fruit_fill	10	kg/ha
P₂O₅	Fruit_fill	0	kg/ha
K₂O	Fruit_fill	50	kg/ha

Name	Country	Maturity	Traits
Red aril selection	KE	1095	Deep red arils, attractive fresh fruit and juice type.
Soft-seeded type	TZ	1095	Softer seeds, easier to eat fresh; good for home use and local markets.
Local Pomegranate (komamanga) selection	UG	1095	Mixed local types used mainly for home consumption and roadside sales.

Stage	Product	Rate (kg/ha)	Notes
Basal	Well-rotted farmyard manure	6000	Applied in rings around Pomegranate (komamanga) trees once a year after pruning or before rains.
Vegetative	CAN 26% N	40	Split in 2–3 small dressings early in the growth season.
Flowering and fruiting	NPK 17-17-17 or high-K blend	80	Applied in split doses from flowering to early fruit development.

Name	Type	Symptoms	Management
Aphids and whiteflies	pest	Clusters of small insects on young shoots and leaves, honeydew and black sooty mould.	Encourage natural enemies, avoid unnecessary broad-spectrum insecticides and use soaps or selective products when popula...
Fruit borers and fruit cracking (complex causes)	pest	Bored holes on fruits, internal feeding, rotting and cracking of the fruit skin.	Remove and destroy infested and cracked fruits, keep irrigation and rainfall patterns as even as possible and avoid sudd...
Leaf and fruit spots (fungal diseases)	disease	Spots on leaves and fruits, premature leaf fall and blemished fruits.	Prune for better airflow, avoid overhead irrigation late in the day and apply recommended fungicides or biocontrols when...
Root and collar rots	disease	Yellowing, wilting, bark rotting at the collar area and slow decline of Pomegranate (komamanga) plants.	Ensure good drainage, avoid waterlogging and keep mulch and soil away from direct contact with the stem.

System	Typical	Min	Max	Notes
Low-input homestead Pomegranate (komamanga)	8	5	12	Scattered trees with little pruning or fertilizer; highly variable yields.
Managed smallholder orchard	15	10	20	Moderate pruning, manure/fertilizer and basic pest and disease management.
Intensive irrigated Pomegranate (komamanga) orchard	25	20	35	High-density or well-managed orchards under irrigation with planned nutrition and crop protection.

Country	Region	Planting	Harvest
KE	Warm semi-arid and sub-humid zones	Start of rains or early in the irrigation season so Pomegranate (komamanga) establishes well.	Main harvest several months after flowering, often in the drier season.
TZ	Central semi-arid and irrigated areas	Onset of rainy season or under irrigation according to water availability.	Fruits mature in the dry to cool season following the rains.
UG	Warm low to mid-altitude pockets	At the start of reliable rains or with irrigation support.	One main harvest and sometimes a smaller off-season crop depending on rainfall pattern.

Country	Region	Suitability
KE	Lower eastern, coastal hinterland and other warm semi-arid zones	High
TZ	Central and northern semi-arid to sub-humid belts with irrigation	High
UG	Warm low to mid-altitude regions with good drainage	Medium