Pineapples Family Genus Species Bromeliaceae Ananas comosus Reading

Pineapples Family Genus Species Bromeliaceae Ananas comosus

Reading b Pineapple Cultivation in Hawaii • Bartholomew, Rohrbach, and Evans • University of Hawaii • Cooperative Extension Service • F&N-7 • October, 2002 • pdf file on web page Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Herbaceous Perennial Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Flower description b Inflorescence • 100 -200 flowers b Flower • Perfect with floral bract • Three fleshy sepals and petals • Six stamens • Inferior ovary with 3 locules Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Flower description b Commercial clones are self incompatible • Set parthenocarpically – Only one cultivar planted in a field • Pollinated by hummingbirds – Can produce seed if cross pollinated Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Fruit Description b Terminal Fruit b Crown - leafy apical shoot b Multiple fruit • White to Yellow flesh • 10 -18% brix • 0. 5 - 1. 6% acidity Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Pineapple is a Multiple Fruit b Many flowers on one inflorescence b Multiple fruit • Fusion of berry-like fruitlets • Bases of sepals and bracts Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Probably domesticated by the Tupi. Guarani people in the Paraná-Paraguay river drainage area Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Probably domesticated by the Tupi. Guarani people in the Paraná-Paraguay river drainage area Columbus 1493 Early 16 th century Spread through the tropical Americas and Caribbean before Columbus arrived in 1493 Carried on ships as protection against scurvy Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Tropical Fruit Production FAOSTAT database, 2000 -2002 Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Pineapple Production FAOSTAT database, 2000 -2002 Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Now Produced throughout the Tropics Hawaii P P P Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M P P

Pineapple Production and Yield FAOSTAT database, 2000 -2002 Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Adaptation: Temperature b Average yearly temperature • 65 -79° F b Poor growth • Below 55 -60° F • Above 95° F b Optimum growth conditions • Cool nights with sunny days • Day temp 70 - 85° F Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Adaptation: Rain b Drought tolerant plant • Leaf adaptations • CAM type plant b Grown in range of rain conditions • 24” (600 mm) - works well if even distribution • 150” (3600 mm) per year Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Adaptation b Soil • Acid soil, p. H 4. 5 to 5. 6 • Good drainage • Fertility – Best production at high fertility – Tolerates low fertility – Tolerates high levels of AL+3 and Mn+2 • High OM and K desirable for best yields Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Propagation of the Pineapple Vegetative propagation b Crowns b Slips b Hapas b Suckers Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Propagation - Crowns b Crowns preferred • Preformed roots and good reserves • Best grade by weight to reduce variability b Cannery • • byproduct Twisted off at fruit harvest time Dried or dipped in fungicide Trimmed, weighed Better roots than slips b Fresh pineapples marketed with crowns Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Pineapple Crowns for Planting Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Propagation - Slips b Rudimentary fruit with crown • From axis of leaves on fruit stalk • Curved at base – Visible when fruit 1/2 developed b After harvesting the fruit • Allow to develop another 4 -5 months b Storage • Can store for 1 year up side down in sun • Best yield if plant within 1 month Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Crown Slips allowed to develop 4 -5 months after fruit harvest before using Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Propagation - Suckers b From axillary buds on stem • Begin to grow during floral differentiation b Cut from stem after fruit harvest b Larger than crowns/slips when collected • Floral precocity uneven harvest Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Sucker versus a Crown Sucker Crown Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Time to Harvest varies with Planting Material Uneven Fruiting and Increased Harvest Cost Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Up side Down Propagation Material Drying in the sun Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Growing Cycle - 3 harvests Hawaii - 20 -22 degrees north Plant 1 Growing 1 st Ratoon Crop 2 nd Ratoon Sucker Development 33 11 Planted Crop 1 st Ratoon Sucker Development 19 Force 2 nd Ratoon Crop Force 25 Force 39 Flower 14 Harvest 28 Flower 32 Harvest 42 Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M 46 Harvest 18

Crop Cycle b Planted year round • Forced 9 - 13 mos later b Plant crop duration • In Hawaii (20 -22 degrees north) – 15 -20 months • More tropical areas where warmer – 11 - 14 months Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Ratoon Crop b Forced 5 -7 months post plant harvest b Ratoon fruits • Smaller • Sweeter, less acidic, more aromatic b Second ratoon crop possible if • Soil is fertile and low nematode Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Smaller Fruit Size with Each Crop Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Fruit Size b Largest size for processors b Regulate size by the timing of flower forcing b Fresh market • Forced earlier • Ratoon crops Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Pineapple fruit size is related to size of plant at time of flower induction 25 leaves 3. 5 lbs ‘Smooth Cayenne’ fruit wt = plant wt at time of flowering Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Forcing b Ethephon • Ethlylene-releasing compound • Most common growth hormone used b Why force? • Uniformity • Regulate harvest b Forcing easier if: • Done near normal flowering time • Lower N & less vigor • Cool temp (< 24 o. C night temps) Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Planting b Double rows • Pineapple for processor • 122 x 60 x 28 cm (4 x 2 x 1 ft) b Plant density regulate fruit size • Canning, 58, 700/ha • Fresh, 75, 000/ha – Fruit size decrease by 300 gm (0. 7 lbs) Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Cultural Care in Hawaii (Not equatorial climate) b Fumigate/fertilize preplant b Black plastic mulch • Nematicides under poly • Increases soil temp in rooting zone • Conserves moisture and weeds b Drip irrigation Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Fertilizer b Nutrient requirements • High N, K, and Fe • Low requirement of P and Ca b Nutrient scheduling • Less required for first 5 months • Peak 2 - 4 months before forcing – Need dark green leaves at forcing for best production • Minimal during flowering/fruiting Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Pesticides and fungicides sprayed as necessary Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Pineapple Harvest as shell color changes from green to yellow at base Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Pineapple Harvest Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Cultivars b ‘Smooth Cayenne’ b Origin - not clear Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Distribution of Cayenne Pineapple 1835 Hawaii 97 18 189 3 Hawaii 1885 1860 0 2 8 1 1858 Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Cayenne - most important b Processing • Cylindrical for Canning • Leaves - no spines, slips few • Large fruits 2. 5 - 3. 5 Kg (5. 5 -7. 7 lbs) b Common in USA grocery stores b Marginal for fresh market • Too high in acid • Skin is thin so bruise easily Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Red Spanish - 2 nd b Well adapted for shipping fresh • 2 -4 lbs • Pale yellow b Grown in Cuba and Puerto Rico b Plant • Hardy, spiny leaves • Many slips Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Sugar Loaf types b Widely grown in tropical America • Sweetest of white-fleshed forms • Lower acid than Cayenne • Many have small fruit (1/2 - 1 kg) – Kona Sugarloaf has fruit 2 -2. 5 kg size Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Post Harvest - Storage b Partially ripe • 50 - 55 o. F b Ripe pineapples • 45 o. F • RH 85 - 90% b Exposure sub 45 o. F chilling injury Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M

Any Questions about Pineapple? Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M