- At first, plough the land horizontally and vertically and sieve well the soil near the tree. - After soil testing, as per the age of the pomegranate, use chemical fertilizers and micro nutrients. - In calcareous soil, do not give fertilizers containing calcium like gypsum, calcium chloride, calcium nitrate, etc. - Avoid excessive use of chemical fertilizers. It might result to more Pomegranate being susceptible to the disease. - After fruits are harvested, check near the tree where the water from drip falls, dig a pit and check if there are knots on the roots. If there are take them out using pick axe and fill the pit with 20 kg FYM, 1 kg poultry manure, 1 kg neem cake, 100 gm urea, 200 gm 10:26:26, 100 gm potash and 15 gm phorate. If the soil is stony, do not add poultry fertilizer. If there is drip irrigation, give water for 8-10 hours. - In the rest period, take 5 to 10 gm 00:52:34 and 5 ml mix nutrients per liter of water and spray it 4 to 5 times for maturity of the stick. - After the fertilizer is applied, add mulching using dry leaves near the stem of the tree. Once the requirement of the fertilizers is understood, we can install fertigation technique as per the soluble fertilizers we have. The complete dose of required fertilizers should be divided over the given period and should be given with the decided quantity of water. Maximum division of fertilizers and frequent small doses of fertilizers prove to be effective. Fertilizer dose per tree: 1) 1 and 2 year old trees: 150 gms 10:26:26, 100gms 18:46:00, 150 gms Potash, 50 gm Magnesium Sulphate, 25 gms Bensulf, 100gms Yara complex and 25 gms Nitrobar. 2) 3 years and above: 250 gms 10:26:26, 100 gms 18:46:00, 150 gms Potash,100 gms Magnesium Sulphate, 35 gms Bensulf, 150 gms Yara complex and 25 gms Nitrobar. Every year 5kg Mycorrhiza per acre has to be given. Nutrients/ growth promoters to be given through spraying - - 5 gm per liter Calcium Nitrate, twice in a month as per requirement. - Before the buds show up, spray 2 gms Chelated multi micro nutrient per liter once. - If there is flower drop, take care of water management. In addition to it, when the soil is moist, give 2 separate sprayings of NAA and Boron at an interval of 10 to 12 days and given neem coated neem cake through drip. - After 50% flowers are there, spray 2 gm Chelated multi micro nutrient per liter and then apply second spraying of 5 gm 12:61:00/ liter. - 10 days before harvesting the fruits, spray 5 gm Potassium Schoenite per liter. If drip irrigation is used, give following soluble fertilizers – 1) 0 to 30 days: Humic Acid @2 lit/acre, 12:61:00 @50kg/350trees, Calcium Nitrate @5kg/acre and Boron @400gm/acre. 2) 30 to 60 days: P uptake @3lit/acre, K uptake @3lit/acre, 13:40:13 @50kg/350 trees and mix micro nutrients @3lit/acre. 3) 60 to 90 days: 13:00:45 @50kg/350 trees, K uptake @3 liter/acre, Trichoderma @3 liter/acre, Pasilomysis @3 liter/acre, Calcium @1gm/lit (spraying) and Boron @1gm/lit (spraying). 4) 90 to 120 days: 00:52:34 @50kg/acre, Calcium Nitrate @5kg/acre and Boron @400gm/acre. 5) 120 to 150 days: 00:52:34 @50kg/acre, Calcium Nitrate @5kg/acre and Boron @400 gm/acre. 6) 150 to 180 days: 00:00:50 @100kg/acre, P uptake @3kg/acre and K update @3kg/acre. -Dr. Vinayak Shinde-Patil, Ahmednagar [(M.Sc., PhD (Agri)] Founder-Principal admin, Krushi Samarpan group, Maharashtra