A REVIEW ON THE SCOPE FOR INCREASING IN VITRO PRODUCTION OF POMEGRANATE (Punica granatum L.) CULTIVARS AND ITS APPLICATION IN THE HUMAN HEALTH SECTOR WITH EMPHASIS ON THE INDIAN INDUSTRY

Punica granatum L. is an important tree having wide appositeness and importunate in the field of medicine and also is delicious for consumption as fruit or juice. India exports less than Iran despite India being the largest producer of pomegranate. Inability to mass propagate commercial varieties of pomegranate may be one of the reasons. So far, out of the hundreds of available commercial varieties, only a handful have been successfully micropropagated. This indicates the need for standard protocols for in vitro propagation of important pomegranate varieties for commercialization, which in turn, would lead to increased export and help improve the country’s economic status. This review gives information regarding the production and market scenario of pomegranate globally, as well as its medicinal applications and status ofin vitro propagation of some important cultivars.