How to Plant Pineapple

How to Plant Pineapple

 The pineapple is semi-perennial plant that reaches a meter high. First produces a single fruit, situated at the apex; then, with the side branch of the stem, other fruits appear, so that the production stage can last for several years. When adult, consists roots, stalk (stem) leaves, fruits and seedlings.
How to Plant Pineapple: Choose Area and Soil Preparation
The Pineapple plantation for soil should be of medium texture (sandy-clay) or light (sandy), and well-drained, preferably flat, with good depth and pH around 5.0. They should not be subject to flooding.
As Pineapple Planting: Planting Season
Preferably at the beginning of the rainy season, which facilitates the fixation of seedlings. This statement is not rigid and planting can be done throughout the year, depending on the soil moisture, the availability of seedlings and the time that you want to reap the fruit.
How to Plant Pineapple: Varieties
In choosing the variety should take into account the destination of production (consumption "in natura" or industry). The best known varieties in Brazil are: Pearl White or Pernambuco, Smooth Cayenne and Jupi. The Smooth Cayenne has only spines on the edges of the sheets. It is preferred for the export market and for industrialization, especially in the manufacture of jams (slices in syrup).
Varieties Perolera and spring are the most resistant to fusarium wilt, leaves have no spines and good quality fruit.
How to Plant Pineapple: Saplings
Healthy seedlings and a length larger than a span (more than 25cm) should be used. They should be chosen in plantations where the number of patients fruits (rotten) has been minimal. Discard the seedlings that are experiencing the lowest gum signal. Choose only healthy and vigorous seedlings. The types of commonly used plants are: crown, puppy, puppy-suckers and suckers.
As Pineapple Planting: Planting Methods
Planting can be done in pits, grooves and slots (planting inclined). If there is no plow, you can open the graves with hoe, Hawaiian type planting shovel or coveadeira (mechanized).
How to Plant Pineapple: Layout pits or grooves
Planting the seedlings can be done in single or double rows; give preference to the system of double rows. On land with slope, arrange the pits or grooves in contour.
How to Plant Pineapple: Spacing and Density
The distance between the plants can vary according to the variety, the destination of output, the level of mechanization and other factors. For fruit raw or juice, the spacing should be closed - fruit weighing of 1,1-1,5kg. In production for industrialization should be used larger spacing (less plants per area) - fruits above 1.5kg.
Recommended spacing:

Use the smallest gaps with the varieties without thorns on leaves.
As Pineapple Planting: Planting
Obtained the cuttings, make a selection dismissing all those who submit the lowest gum signal or rot. Sunning (one to two weeks) to prevent rot after planting.
As Pineapple Planting: Plant Control Weeds
The crop should be kept free of weeds. The weed control can be done with hand weeding (hoe), crops for animal traction, covering use dead and herbicides recommended for culture, based on diuron (1.6 to 3.2 kg / ha), simazine (2, 4 to 3.21 / h), ametryn (2.4 to 3.21 / h) or others, applied pre-emergence of weeds. The use of herbicides reduces hand labor and is the most efficient method. The sprayer must be calibrated to ensure the correct dose.
In areas infested by weeds difficult to control (sedge grass thatch, bermudagrass etc) it is recommended to apply herbicides to glyphosate base, at a dose of five to seven liters of pc / ha on the weeds a two weeks before plowing or disking.
How to Plant Pineapple: Correction of Acidity and Fertilization
It is recommended to perform soil analysis of the areas where the plantations will be deployed and fertilized, forwarding them to competent laboratories. Fertilizers must be applied to the soil (with plants) or in the axils of basal leaves. Do not drop fertilizer in the eye of the plant.
How to Plant Pineapple: Irrigation
In most regions, the rains occur at set periods with shortages in a few months, making irrigation becomes necessary for pineapple culture.
The recommended amount of water is 60 to 120 mm / month applied depending on the soil and climatic conditions. The crop should be irrigated throughout the cycle. The pineapple is so sensitive as to the lack of excess water.
The methods most commonly used are the irrigation sprinklers, central pivot and self-propelled. Micro sprinkler and drip can also be used.
How to Plant pineapple: Pest Control
The most common pests are the fruit borer (Thecla basalides) and cochineal (brevipes Dysmicoccus), the latter causing the "wilting of pineapple".
The fruit borer larvae is a small butterfly attack the inflorescence pineapple, digging galleries and causing the appearance of a substance with respect gum. The treatment can be done with carbaryl (260 grams in 100 liters of water); methyl parathion, diazinon (90 ml / 100 1 of water), based on 30 to 50 ml of solution per plant.
The cochineal insect is a small, wingless, which appears covered by a kind of white flour. Its action can be done with methyl parathion (90 ml / 100 1 of water) Dimethoate (60 ml / 100 1 water) and vamidotion (30 ml / 100 1 of water). Treatment of seedlings is only recommended in cases of high pest infestation.
How to Plant Pineapple: Disease Control
The fusarium wilt of pineapple is the main disease of this crop. To control fusarium wilt, use healthy seedlings, select the seedlings to eliminate symptoms of fusarium wilt and inspect planting periodically.
The black rot is a postharvest disease. It can be controlled in the following ways: the fruits with the stalk part (approximately 2 cm), to avoid injury in the fruit surface and protect the wound resulting cut the crop.
How to Plant Pineapple: Harvesting and Marketing
Harvesting can be done with the aid of a knife. Cut the stem about five cm below the fruit. Only reap the rewards when the shell color is changing from dark green to yellowish-tan and fruitlets become flattened. Fruit for the industry mature and can be harvested without the seedlings.
How to Plant Pineapple: Intercropping of Cultures
Pineapple can be intercropped with beans, peanuts, okra, cabbage, tomatoes and other short-cycle crops, which are planted between the lines and at the same time the pineapple culture. The consortium should be limited to the first six months of pineapple cycle.
How to Plant Pineapple: Flowering pineapple
Early natural flowering is a fairly common problem. Hampers crop management and harvesting, endearing the cost of production, preventing the exploitation of soca (second cycle) and affecting the marketing of the product.
Because it is intensely affected by climate problem so far there are still no phenomenon of control measures that can give the desired security. Are in the research phase measures to prevent or at least slow the natural flowering.
Some precautions: avoid the plants reach large size or age; avoid planting in the period from October to December, which is very common in regions with summer rains (Cerrado); avoid the use of old seedlings for plantations, etc.
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