Anatomy of Pomegranate (Punica granatum L. 'Hicaznar') Fruit Exocarp

Pomegranate is an important fruit crop with an increasing production for fresh consumption, juice production and medicinal purposes. Pomegranate has become a popular fruit crop and research related with this fruit crop recently intensified significantly. In this study, anatomical differences in the exocarp of pomegranate fruits were investigated. The present study was conducted in the West Mediterranean Agricultural Research Institute using 'Hicaznar', the most important pomegranate cultivar produced and exported from this region. Standard protocols (with slight modification) were followed to study the fruit surface anatomy. As a result, it was determined that there is a cuticle layer on the outer surface (pericarps) of pomegranate fruits followed by epidermal cells organized by one layer immediately underneath the cuticle. The epidermis forms the outer most cell layer on the structure of pomegranate fruit peel. As in some fruit species, lenticels which function as stomata were observed on the peel of the pomegranate fruit. Lenticels found in the peel of the pomegranate fruit were evenly distributed on the epidermis. The observed lenticels were mostly in the shape of a lens and were characterized as extending from loosely lined complementary cell surface. In some fruits, gas exchange is performed by lenticels on the surface of the fruit peel. Lenticels found in the epidermal cell layer of pomegranate fruit peel may also function in the same way. In addition, it was determined that parenchyma cells on the peel of the pomegranate are in the iso-diametric shape and vascular bundles and sclerenchyma cells were located between parenchyma cells. It was found that protective sclerenchyma cells were densely distributed on the peel of fruit. This study presents an anatomic observation of structure of healthy pomegranate fruit peel and it will form the basis for further studies related with abnormal peel structure caused by different physiological, pathological and structural problems.