Pomegranate Genetic Resources: Conservation and Utilization

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L., Lythraceae) is an age-old and one of the earliest domesticated fruit crops known for fresh fruit consumption, processing, therapeutic, and ornamental values. It is an important commercial fruit crop of dry regions of the world which is loaded with immense nutritional and therapeutic properties. Central Asia including Iran, Afghanistan, and Western Himalayas are considered to be its center of origin. Later its wider distribution from the Mediterranean region to Asia, America, Africa, and Europe has created considerable genetic diversity in the crop. This Punica genus consists of a cultivated species (P. granatum L.) and the wild progenitor (P. protopunica Balf.). The versatile adaptability of this crop to diverse climatic and edaphic conditions has also significantly contributed to the genetic diversity in the form of wild, semi-wild, and cultivated pomegranates. Some efforts have been made by some of the major pomegranate-growing countries to accumulate the available pomegranate genetic resources in the form of in situ and ex situ germplasm bank. Limited planned research initiatives have also been taken up to create genetic variability through induced mutation, gene editing, and other means by some pomegranate research groups. A better knowledge of this existing pomegranate genetic resources and cultivars available at different parts of the world would be very useful for its rational conservation and application in crop improvement programs. Here we present a consolidated information available on pomegranate germplasm collections, conservation, characterization, and utilization efforts made across the world.