For effective and economic weed control, use weedicides.
Pre-emergent spray with diuron 3 kg or bromacil 2.5 kg in 600 litres of water per hectare
completely controls all types of weeds in pineapple plantation.
If there is subsequent growth of weeds, herbicide application may be repeated at half the
above dose.
Spraying should be done when there is adequate moisture in the soil.
Avoid periods of heavy rainfall for spraying.
Irrigation
During summer months, pineapple should be irrigated wherever possible at 0.6 IW/CPE ratio (50 mm depth of water).
It requires five or six irrigations during dry months at an interval of 22 days.
Although pineapple is usually a rain-fed crop, irrigation during the summer months can significantly increase yields.
Watering the plants at least once every three weeks during the summer months after the monsoon season will accelerate their growth and cause them to flower more quickly.
Mulching the crop with dry leaves at 6 t ha-1 will help to conserve moisture.
Flower induction
For inducement of uniform flowering, apply 25 ppm ethephon (2-chloro ethyl phosphonic acid) in
aqueous solution containing 2 per cent urea and 0.04 per cent calcium carbonate as follows:
The mixture (50 ml/plant) is to be applied pouring into the heart of 10-12 months old plants
(39-42 leaf stage) during dry weather.
For treating 1000 plants, 50 litres of the solution would be required.
The ingredients for preparing 50 litres of the aqueous solution are ethephon 1.25 ml, urea 1 kg
and calcium carbonate 20 g, made up to 50 litres with water.
The dosage has to be fixed depending on the availability of commercial formulation and the
active ingredient contents.
Fruits will be ready for harvest by 5 ¼ - 5 ¾ months after the application of
growth regulator.
Flowering will commence from 40th day after application and complete by 70 th day
Mauritius
Weed control
Pre-emergence (within a few weeks after planting) spray of diuron @ 1 kg ha -1 in 600 litres of
water can keep the field free of weeds for about four months.
For subsequent weed control, herbicide application is repeated.
For controlling Mikania micrantha (vayara valli or American valli), spot application of
diuron can be adopted.
Spraying should be done in moist soil, but avoid rainy periods.
Weeds in interspaces can be controlled by spraying glyphosate 0.8 kg ha -1 .
While spraying in interspaces, care should be taken that the weedicide shall not fall on
pineapple plant.
Irrigation
Wherever irrigation facilities are available, providing irrigation in summer months at two
weeks intervals results in good fruit size and high yield.
If there is no irrigation facility, the crop should be scheduled for harvest before summer
months (before March).
Intercropping
To increase income, ginger/coleus (four rows at 30×30 cm spacing in high rows) and brinjal/bhindi (two rows at 75×60 cm spacing) can be grown as intercrops.
Flower induction
For inducing uniform flowering, 25 ppm ethephon is applied on physiologically mature plants
having 39-42 leaves (7-8 months after planting).
The solution for application in 1000 plants is prepared by adding 1.25 ml of ethephon (3.2 ml
of 39 per cent ethrel or 12.5 ml of 10 per cent ethrel, 1 kg urea and 20 g calcium carbonate to
50 litres of water.
Pour 50 ml of the prepared solution to the heart of the plant during dry weather conditions
(when there is no rain during the time of application).
Flowering starts by 30 days and completes within 40 days of growth regulator application.
