Internal Breakdown in Pomegranate – Causes, Remedies & Prevention Tips

durgaprasad thota
Jun 28
2 min read

Internal Breakdown in Pomegranate – Causes, Remedies & Prevention Tips

❓ What is Internal Breakdown in pomegranate ?

Pomegranate fruits often look perfect from the outside — red, large, and ripe — but when opened, the arils (seeds) are found to be brown, soft, fermented, or sticky.

This is called Internal Breakdown or Black Heart — a hidden disorder that makes the fruit unsellable and causes severe post-harvest loss.

🔍 What Causes Internal Breakdown?

Cause	Explanation
Delayed Harvesting	Overripe fruits stay on tree too long, increasing sugar content and decay.
Boron & Calcium Deficiency	Weakens aril cell structure → early spoilage.
High Humidity + Temperature	Promotes internal fermentation.
Improper Irrigation	Excess water near harvest time leads to sudden fruit softening.
Dense Canopy or Poor Ventilation	Traps heat and moisture → fungal buildup inside fruit.

🌿 Organic Remedies & Prevention

✅ 1. Timely Harvesting

Don’t wait for over-ripening.
Ideal time to harvest:
- 120–135 days after flowering
- When fruit gives a metallic sound on tapping

✅ 2. Calcium & Boron Application

Apply gypsum (natural calcium source) 500 g/plant once before flowering
Foliar spray of 0.2% borax during fruit development stage
Wood ash and banana stem extract are excellent natural calcium-boron boosters

✅ 3. Irrigation Management

Avoid flooding near harvesting time
Use regulated drip irrigation (less but frequent)

✅ 4. Canopy Pruning

Regular pruning helps air circulation and reduces humidity inside canopy

🪰 Use AEDAA Smart Traps to Reduce Fruit Spoilage

Even though Internal Breakdown is a physiological issue, insect pests like fruit borers or mealybugs can make it worse by introducing infections.

✅ AEDAA’s Solar & Pheromone Traps help by: