PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF POMEGRANATE FRUIT (Punica granatum L.), OF CV. KARAMUSTAFA

Abstract

Pomegranate is well-adapted fruit species to arid and semi-arid conditions and highly valued crop widely cultivated in Mediterranean and Near Asia countries. The most important pomegranate cultivars in Macedonia are Bejnarija, Lifanka and Karamustafa. The objective of this study was the physical parameters of the pomegranate fruit and chemical properties of juice from pomegranate fruit Karamustafa cultivar, grown in two different location of R. Macedonia. The physical parameters including fruit fresh weight, percentage of grain (%), weight of 100 berries (g), percentage of juice (%) and morphological characteristics (equatorial diameter, calyx diameter, fruit height without calyx, total fruit height, calyx height). Based on the results we found significant differences in the weight of the fruit, the content of total acids and the content of total polyphenols in the juice.