Sunburn in Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Fruit: Causes and Integrated Management Practices for Its Prevention

Abstract

Sunburn is a major physiological disorder causing substantial yield and quality losses in pomegranate (Punica granatum L.). This review synthesizes the physiological basis, economic impacts, and integrated management strategies for the disorder, drawing comparative insights from other fruit species such as apple, pear, and grape. Sunburn develops when the fruit surface temperature exceeds 45–50°C, leading to cell death, necrosis, browning, and peel cracking. The underlying mechanism is driven by oxidative stress induced by excessive heat and radiation, which collapses antioxidant defense systems and results in lipid peroxidation, anthocyanin degradation, and the loss of phenolic compounds. Consequently, the fruit’s visual quality, nutritional value, shelf life, and functional properties are severely compromised. The disorder can cause 30–40% yield losses in the Mediterranean basin, reducing grower income by more than 20%, and its economic impact is intensified by the decisive role of external appearance in consumer perception. Physical measures such as kaolin-based particle films, shading nets, and fruit bagging have proven effective in reducing sunburn, while cultural practices including balanced pruning and optimized irrigation offer additional benefits. In the long term, the adoption of tolerant cultivars and the development of targeted breeding programs represent the most sustainable solutions. As climate change intensifies heat stress and increases the frequency of extreme temperature events, integrating cultural practices with digital agriculture technologies and early warning systems becomes essential. A comprehensive, forward-looking management approach is therefore critical to mitigate yield and quality losses and to ensure the economic sustainability of pomegranate production.

Keywords

• Sunburn
• physiological disorder
• oxidative stress
• economic loss
• integrated management
• climate change
• fruit quality

Nar (Punica granatum L.) Meyvesinde Güneş Yanıklığı: Nedenleri ve Önlenmesine Yönelik Entegre Yönetim Uygulamaları

Abstract

Bu derleme, nar meyvesinde önemli verim ve kalite kayıplarına yol açan güneş yanıklığı bozukluğunu ele almaktadır. Çalışma, bozukluğun fizyolojik temellerini, ekonomik etkilerini ve önleme stratejilerini; elma, armut ve üzüm gibi diğer türlerle karşılaştırmalı olarak sentezlemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Güneş yanıklığı, meyve yüzey sıcaklığının 45-50°C üzerine çıkmasıyla tetiklenir. Bu durum, kabukta hücre ölümü, nekroz, kahverengileşme ve çatlaklarla sonuçlanır. Temel mekanizma, aşırı sıcaklık ile radyasyonun neden olduğu oksidatif stres ve antioksidan savunma sistemlerinin çöküşüdür. Süreç, lipid peroksidasyonu, antosiyanin parçalanması ve fenolik bileşik kaybına yol açar. Bunun sonucunda meyvenin görsel kalitesi, besin değeri, raf ömrü ve fonksiyonel özellikleri bozulmaktadır. Bozukluk, Akdeniz havzasında %30-40'a varan verim kaybına neden olur. Üretici gelirlerinde %20'yi aşan düşüşe yol açar. Tüketici algısında dış görünümün belirleyici olması, yanıklığın ekonomik etkisini daha da ağırlaştırmaktadır. Güneş yanıklığıyla mücadelede kaolin bazlı kaplamalar, gölgeleme ağları ve meyve torbalama gibi fiziksel yöntemler etkilidir. Dengeli budama ile sulama gibi kültürel uygulamalar da kısa vadede olumlu sonuçlar verir. Uzun vadeli ve sürdürülebilir çözüm ise dayanıklı çeşit kullanımına ve ıslah çalışmalarına dayanmaktadır. İklim değişikliğinin sıcaklık stresini artırması, kültürel uygulamaların dijital tarım teknolojileri ve erken uyarı sistemleriyle entegre edilmesini zorunlu kılmaktadır. Bu kapsamlı ve öngörülü yönetim yaklaşımı, nar yetiştiriciliğinde hem verim hem kalite kayıplarını azaltmak hem de ekonomik sürdürülebilirliği güvence altına almak açısından büyük önem taşımaktadır.

Keywords

• Nar
• güneş yanıklığı
• fizyolojik bozukluk
• oksidatif stres
• ekonomik kayıp
• entegre mücadele
• iklim değişikliği
• meyve kalitesi

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