Pineapple Farming in India - From Planting to Harvesting
Table of Contents
- History and Overview of Pineapple Cultivation
- Nutritional Composition of Pineapple
- Varieties of Pineapple in India
- Climatic and Soil Requirements for Pineapple Farming in India
- Land Preparation for Pineapple Farming
- Planting Methods in Pineapple Cultivation
- Irrigation in Pineapple Farming
- Fertilizer and Nutrient Management in Pineapple Production
- Pest and Diseases Management of Pineapple Plants
- Harvesting and Post harvesting Management of Pineapple
- Conclusion
History and Overview of Pineapple Cultivation
Pineapple, scientifically known as Ananas comosus, belongs to the family of Bromeliaceae. This fruit has a spiky and rough exterior but has a vibrant and juicy flesh inside. Pineapple initially originated from Brazil and gradually reached the other regions of the world. The Portuguese introduced this sweet and tangy fruit to India in 1548 AD. Since then, its rapid production has made pineapple one of the commercial crops in India. Our country stands amongst the top 5 producers of pineapple in the world with an annual output of 1.2 million tonnes. Some other leading producers of pineapple in the world are Indonesia, Thailand, China, Brazil, Philippines, USA, Mexico, etc.
Nutritional Composition of Pineapple
It is one of the favorite fruits among the fruit enthusiasts of the world mainly due to its taste and nutritional values. Pineapple is packed with balanced nutrients like minerals, vitamins, enzymes, and dietary fiber. It is a good source of vitamin A, B, C along with calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron. It consists of an enzyme called bromelain which is known for aiding digestion and reducing inflammation. It has minimal fat and sodium with no-cholesterol. This rich fruit can be consumed raw or cooked.
Varieties of Pineapple in India
There are different pineapple varieties grown in India. The cultivated varieties of pineapple are mainly divided into three groups i.e., Cayenne, Queen, and Spanish. Let’s peek into some of the major pineapple varieties in India:
Smooth Cayenne
It is also known as Cayenne and was cultivated by Indians long ago. It is the most popular canning variety. Its flesh is firm, close-textured and juicy. It becomes pale-yellow when it matures. It has an average acid range between 0.5 to 1.0% and the TSS between 12 to 16 Brix.
Kew
This variety of pineapple is quite late at maturing but it still is the leading commercial variety in India. This is mainly due to its canning quality. It has a weight of 2-3 kg and an oblong shape which is slightly tapering towards the crown. This variety becomes suitable for canning broad and shallow eyes. Its flesh is light yellow, juicy and almost fibreless. It has an acid content between 0.6 to 1.2% with TSS between 12 to 16 Brix.
Queen
This old cultivar variety is mainly grown in countries like Australia, India, and South Africa. It is also known as common rough in Australia. Its plant is quite dwarf and colder as well as disease resistant. Its fruit has a weight between 1 to 1.5 kg and it matures quite early but its yield is low. Its flesh is comparatively less juicy than cayenne but is very crispy. Its average acidity lies between 0.6 to 0.8% while its TSS is between 15 to 16 Brix.
Mauritius
It is one of the most important varieties of pineapple grown in India and Ceylon. It is majorly grown in Meghalaya and Kerala in India. It has a thin core with very sweet flesh and is utilized mainly for juice. Its medium sized fruit are deep yellow and red skinned. They weigh around 1.36 to 2.25 kg. Its leaves are yellowish green and spinny throughout the margin. This variety of pineapple ripens in mid-season.
Jaldhup and Lakhat
These two varieties are Indian varieties of pineapple and are named after the places in which they are widely produced. They both fall under the Queen variety however their fruits are comparatively smaller than Queen. Jaldhup has a well-blended balance of sweetness with acidity. Its fruits have an alcoholic flavor of their own and can be easily differentiated from other fruits of the Queen group. Both these varieties are cultivated mainly for table and processing purposes.
Climatic and Soil Requirements for Pineapple Farming in India
Pineapple, when it comes to soil, can be grown in various types of soils including the poor ones. However, the pineapples grown on light soil are considered to be of superior quality. Also, the sandy and loamy soils rich in humus are considered ideal for pineapple cultivation. The pineapple plant requires proper drainage to prevent soil from getting waterlogged because it is sensitive to waterlogging. The soil depth of 45-60 cm without hard pan or stones having a pH of 5.0-6.0 is one of the basic soil requirements.
When it comes to the climatic requirements for pineapple cultivation, the ideal climate for pineapple is warm and humid. The optimum temperature for pineapple farming lies between 15° to 32°C for normal growth. During the night the temperature difference of 4°C is desirable and high temperatures at night can be damaging. Also, the temperature going beyond 35°C is not suitable for its development mainly during the low levels of humidity. Even the exposure of its fruits to strong sunlight can be burning. Pineapple plants can be grown up to an elevation of 1,100 m above the sea level particularly when these places are free from frost and have a relatively high atmospheric humidity with an average rainfall of 760-1,000 mm.
Considering all the climatic conditions it flowers between February to April and develops between September to December. Thus, the main pineapple season in India lies between July to September.
Land Preparation for Pineapple Farming
The field is supposed to be well ploughed and made to fine tilth. Based on the nature of land, trenches of convenient length, width about 90 cm and 15-30 cm depth should be prepared. The ideal planting distance between the two rows lies between 30 to 60 cm. The ideal time for planting the pineapple is around 12 to 15 months ahead of the flowering season which lies somewhere from December to March. However, it varies from region to region according to the monsoon and precipitation intensity. For instance, the suitable planting time is during August to October whereas for Kerala and Karnataka it is between April to June. Planting pineapple plants is avoided during heavy rainfall periods.
Planting Methods in Pineapple Cultivation
The pineapple plants are usually propagated using vegetative planting material. The common types of planting materials are conventional planting materials which are produced naturally by the plants. For instance, in the case of pineapple, it is mainly propagated by sucker, slip or crown. Amongst the three suckers and slips are preferred over crowns because they flower earlier than crowns. The 350g uniformly sized slips are used for planting whereas the suckers with a spacing of 90x60x30 cm are planted in trenches.
Irrigation in Pineapple Farming
The pineapple cultivation is mostly performed under the rainfed conditions. However, supplementary irrigation helps in producing good sized pineapples in the areas with sufficient rainfall. Appropriate amount of water is provided to improve and maintain the moisture content of the plant. In case of scarce rainfall and hot weather irrigation is required to be done once in 20-25 days. The irrigation method preferred for pineapple farming is drip irrigation as it delivers water directly to the base of every plant with minimal water wastage. Irrigation also aids for off-season plantation.
Fertilizer and Nutrient Management in Pineapple Production
Pineapple is a shallow feeder which highly requires nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) as primary nutrients. It also requires secondary and micronutrients like magnesium (Mg) and boron (B). The dose of N, P2O5 and K2O at 12, 4, and 12 g respectively per plant every year is considered ideal. The fertilizers in monsoon season during rainfed conditions should be used when there is enough moisture. Pineapple plants fertilized with K2SO4 yielded bigger fruits with larger crowns and had more eyes per spiral. The TSS and ascorbic acid contents were quite higher in pineapples derived from plants fertilized with KCl. Therefore, it is important to provide appropriate fertilizers with optimum dosage to enhance the productivity and quality of the pineapple fruit.
Pest and Diseases Management of Pineapple Plants
The diseases of pineapples are usually associated with bacteria, virus, fungi, and pests. They damage the growing plant as well as the fruit before and post harvesting. Some of its diseases are Phytophthora root rot, Pineapple mealybugs, green fruit rot, Base rot Fusariosis, etc. All the pests can be controlled by their natural enemies and repellents or prevented by insecticidal solutions. Additionally, agricultural practices like crop rotation, mulching, and weed removal should be performed from time to time to prevent the growth of pests or diseases.
Harvesting and Post harvesting Management of Pineapple
The plants of pineapples start to flower after 10 to 12 months of planting and their fruits get mature post 15 to 18 months of planting for harvesting. However, it all depends on the variety, planting material, time, and other conditions. The fruits are usually harvested when there is a slight change at the base of developing fruits for canning purpose. However, the pineapples used for table purpose are not harvested till they develop golden yellow colour. Also, the recent use of mechanical methods for harvesting has reduced the damage to fruits and leaves. Post harvesting the fruits are graded on the basis of their weight, size, and color. They are packed in baskets woven with bamboo strips and stored in refrigerated places for slowing down the ripening process with the temperature between 10 to 13°C. They can be stored for 10 to 20 days post harvesting.
Conclusion
The processed pineapple industry is growing rapidly, so the waste management from these processing industries should be promoted. It can be utilized for producing methane, animal feed, phenolic compounds, and Bromelain. Additionally, pineapple farming in India does not have a standard procedure and quite less of an emphasis is given to organic farming. The farmers participation in international symposiums and conferences about modern farming techniques that are feasible as well as environmentally suitable and other developments in this field should be encouraged.
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