Pomegranate Fruit Cracking Problem – Why It Happens & How to Stop It | Farmer Guide

why pomegranate cracks Pomegranate Fruit Cracking Problem – Why It Happens & How to Stop It | Farmer Guide

Pomegranate Fruit Cracking Problem – Why It Happens & How to Stop It

Reading Time: 5 Minutes

🍎 Every Farmer Knows This Pain

You go to your orchard in the morning. Everything looks fine from distance. But when you go closer to check the fruits — your heart sinks.

The pomegranate fruits have big cracks running through them. Some fruits are already rotting. Ants are crawling inside. And you know very well — these fruits won't sell in the market.

See this crack near the bottom of fruit? This is fruit cracking — the number one headache for pomegranate farmers.

This problem is very common in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Almost every pomegranate farmer has faced this at some point. In bad years, you can lose 30-40% of your crop to cracking alone.

But here's the good news — this is not a disease. No pest is doing this. It's a management problem. And once you understand why it happens, you can easily control it.

🔍 How to Know If It's Fruit Cracking?

Let me tell you exactly what to look for in your orchard:

What You Will See:

Deep cracks on the fruit — mostly running from top to bottom

Cracks usually start near the calyx (the flower part at bottom of fruit)

You can see the red arils inside through the crack

Dark brown or black colour develops around the crack area

The cracked portion starts rotting within 2-3 days

Ants, flies and other insects gather on cracked fruits

Look at how the crack has exposed the inside of the fruit. Once this happens, rotting starts very fast.

Important Point: Cracked fruits look completely normal from one side. You have to check each fruit properly during your morning field visit. Don't just look from far — go close and check the calyx area.

What Happens After Cracking:

Fungus enters through the crack and causes rotting

Sometimes fruit borer larvae also enter through the open crack

The fruit becomes completely unmarketable

Even for juice extraction, quality is poor

❓ Why Does This Cracking Happen?

This is the most important part. If you understand the reason, you can stop it.

Reason 1: Irregular Watering (Main Culprit)

This is responsible for 80% of cracking cases.

What happens is — during summer, many farmers reduce watering or skip few days. The soil becomes dry. The fruit also becomes slightly dehydrated.

Then suddenly you give heavy irrigation. Or unexpected rain comes. The fruit absorbs water very fast. The inside pulp swells up quickly. But the outer skin cannot stretch that fast.

Result? The skin tears open. Crack happens.

See the drip line in background? Even with drip irrigation, if you skip days, cracking will happen.

Reason 2: Sudden Rain After Dry Spell

This is the biggest problem in March-June period. Long dry spell, then one heavy rain — and next morning half your fruits are cracked.

The fruit absorbs rainwater through the skin also, not just through roots. This sudden water intake causes immediate cracking.

Reason 3: Calcium Deficiency

Calcium makes the fruit skin strong and flexible. When calcium is low, the skin becomes brittle. It cannot stretch when the fruit grows or absorbs water.

Many farmers apply NPK but forget about calcium. This is a big mistake.

Reason 4: Boron Deficiency

Boron helps in calcium absorption. Without enough boron, even if you apply calcium, the plant cannot use it properly.

Reason 5: Very Hot and Dry Weather

In April-May, hot winds cause the fruit to lose moisture from the skin. The skin becomes dry and stiff. Then when water comes, it cannot handle the pressure.

See the yellow leaves in this orchard? This indicates the plant is under stress — cracking risk is high.

Reason 6: Too Many Fruits on Tree

Some farmers keep all the fruits on tree thinking they will get more yield. But what happens is — the tree cannot supply enough water and nutrients to all fruits. The skin becomes thin and weak. Cracking increases.

🌿 Organic Solutions – What You Can Do

Now let's talk about solutions. These are all practical methods that farmers are actually using.

Solution 1: Never Skip Irrigation

I cannot stress this enough. Consistent watering is the most important thing.

Use drip irrigation — it gives uniform moisture

In summer, water daily. Don't skip even one day

Even in winter, maintain regular schedule

If using flood irrigation, give small quantities frequently rather than heavy irrigation after gap

🎯 Simple Test: Push your finger into soil near the tree. At 6 inch depth, it should feel moist. If it's dry, you're under-watering.

This cracked fruit is result of inconsistent irrigation. Daily drip watering could have prevented this.

Solution 2: Apply Mulch Around Trees

Mulching is very underrated. It does three important things:

Keeps soil moisture stable (reduces fluctuation)

Keeps root zone cool in summer

Adds organic matter to soil

What to use:

Paddy straw — easily available

Sugarcane trash

Coconut husk

Dried leaves

Apply 4-6 inch thick layer around tree base, keeping small gap near the trunk.

Solution 3: Spray Calcium Chloride

This is a must-do spray for pomegranate.

How to do:

Mix 500 grams Calcium Chloride in 100 litres water (0.5% solution)

Add sticker/spreader for better coverage

Spray on fruits and leaves

When to spray:

First spray: When fruits are marble size (2-3 cm)

Second spray: When fruits are walnut size (5-6 cm)

Third spray: 30 days before expected harvest

Best time: Early morning (6-8 AM) or late evening (5-7 PM). Never spray in hot sun.

Solution 4: Boron Spray

Boron helps calcium work properly.

How to do:

Mix 200 grams Borax in 100 litres water (0.2% solution)

Or use Solubor 100 grams per 100 litres (0.1%)

When to spray:

At flowering time

At fruit set

You can mix boron with calcium spray also — saves time and labour.

Solution 5: Kaolin Clay Spray (For Summer)

Kaolin clay creates a white coating on fruits. This reflects sunlight and keeps fruit surface cool.

How to do:

Mix 3-5 kg Kaolin clay powder in 100 litres water

Spray on fruits during hot weather

Reapply after rain

This is especially useful in April-May when temperature crosses 40°C.

Solution 6: Fruit Bagging

This is extra work but very effective.

When fruit reaches 5 cm size, cover with butter paper bag

Make 2-3 small holes in bag for air circulation

Staple the bag to hold in place

Bagging protects from sun, rain shock, and even pests. Bagged fruits have excellent quality and fetch premium price.

Healthy fruits without cracking — this is what consistent irrigation and calcium spray gives you.

💊 Commercial Methods

If you're farming on larger scale, these methods work well:

GA3 (Gibberellic Acid) Spray

Use 10-20 ppm concentration

Spray at marble stage

Improves skin elasticity

Reduces cracking significantly

NAA Spray

Use 20 ppm concentration

Apply during fruit development

Regulates fruit growth rate

Calcium Nitrate Through Drip

Apply 2-3 kg per acre through drip system

Every 15 days during fruit development

Much better absorption than soil application

🔄 Complete Management Plan

Here's a simple schedule you can follow:

Time

What To Do

Before flowering

Apply gypsum to soil (500 kg/acre)

At flowering

Boron spray 0.2%

Marble stage

Calcium Chloride 0.5% + GA3 if using

Fruit development

Daily drip irrigation + mulching

Hot weather

Kaolin spray on fruits

30 days before harvest

Final calcium spray

✅ Quick Prevention Tips

✅ Water daily in summer — never skip

✅ Use drip irrigation, not flood

✅ Apply mulch 4-6 inches thick

✅ Spray calcium minimum 3 times

✅ Spray boron at flowering

✅ Don't keep too many fruits — thin to 80-100 per tree

✅ Choose less-cracking varieties like Ganesh, Mridula

✅ Watch weather — increase watering before expected rain

For tracking soil moisture continuously, some farmers are now using simple IoT sensors that alert on mobile when moisture drops. This helps in timely irrigation.

Healthy fruit cluster — with proper care, your orchard can look like this too.

❓ Common Questions Farmers Ask

Q: Why do my pomegranates crack after rain?

After dry period, sudden rain causes fruit to absorb water very fast. The pulp swells but skin cannot stretch — so it cracks. This is why consistent moisture is important.

Q: Which variety cracks less?

Ganesh and Mridula have thicker skin and crack less. Bhagwa is more prone to cracking but can be managed with good irrigation.

Q: Can I sell cracked fruits?

Very difficult. Market gives 50-70% less rate. Export is completely rejected. You can use for juice but quality is affected.

Q: How many times to spray calcium?

Minimum 3 times during fruit development. Some farmers spray 4-5 times in cracking-prone seasons.

Q: Does drip irrigation really help?

Yes, drip irrigation is single most effective method. It maintains uniform moisture. Most cracking happens in flood-irrigated orchards with irregular watering.

📌 Final Words

Look, fruit cracking is not some mysterious problem. It's simply water management.

Keep your irrigation consistent. Don't let soil dry out. Don't give heavy water after gap. Spray calcium on time. That's 90% of the solution right there.

Start checking your irrigation schedule today. Apply mulch this week. Order calcium chloride for your next spray. Small steps, big results.

Your orchard can produce premium quality, crack-free fruits. You just need to follow the basics consistently.

Fruit cluster showing good development — result of proper management practices.

Reference advisory source: Tamil Nadu Agricultural University crop protection portal.

Caption: Fruit cluster showing good development — result of proper management practices.

Reference advisory source: Tamil Nadu Agricultural University crop protection portal.