Bar-Ya'akov, I., Plant Sciences, Newe-Ya'ar Research Center A.R.O., Israel
Trainin, T., Plant Sciences, Newe-Ya'ar Research Center A.R.O., Israel
Hefetz, H., Plant Sciences, Newe-Ya'ar Research Center A.R.O., Israel
Hatib, K., Plant Sciences, Newe-Ya'ar Research Center A.R.O., Israel
Hollanda, D., Plant Sciences, Newe-Ya'ar Research Center A.R.O., Israel

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is well adapted to the growth conditions in Israel and is frequently found growing in wild or semi wild conditions all over this country. In an effort to select new cultivars that are most suitable for commercial usage, 44 pomegranate specimens were collected from different parts of Israel. These specimens are being grown in a single plot under identical conditions at Newe-Ya'ar Research Center. The pomegranates collected display prominent differences in their skin and aril color, taste, fruit size, seed softness, date of ripening and growth habits. Out of the established population eight selections (P.G.100-1, P.G.105-6, P.G.116-17, P.G.118-19, P.G.119-20, P.G.127-28, P.G.128-29 and P.G.130-31) were chosen and are being grown in commercial orchards. The early cultivars P.G.128-29 and P.G.130-31 ripen at the end of August and have a red skin and dark red sweet arils with soft seeds. P.G.118-19 and P.G.116-17 ripen at the end of September and display a strong and appealing red skin color and dark red sour arils. The established population of pomegranate trees at Newe-Ya'ar is used for breeding new pomegranate cultivars. We are now developing molecular techniques aimed to identify commercially important genes in order to select promising cultivars as early as the seedling stage. The breeding program is focused particularly on selecting for early ripening and dark red skin and aril color. Some promising crossbred progenies were selected and are being examined in a semi commercial plot.