How are pineapples grown commercially?
Pineapple is usually propagated by sucker, slip, and crown. These planting materials of 5-6 months age bear flowers after 12 months of planting except crowns which bear flowers after 19-20 months. Pineapple plants produced through tissue culture are also available for cultivation.
Where are pineapples grown commercially?
The majority of fresh pineapples sold on the world market are produced in Latin America, with 84% grown in Costa Rica. The majority of production is on large-scale, monoculture plantations owned by a small number of national and multinational fruit companies.
How long do commercial pineapples take to grow?
Commercial pineapple plant fruiting is grown on a two to three year fruit crop cycle that takes 32 to 46 months to completion and harvest. Pineapple plants do indeed die after this cycle, but they produce suckers, or ratoons, around the main plant while it is flowering and fruiting.
How are pineapples distributed?
Pineapple comes from the tropics of South America, from the region which is nowadays covered by Brazil and Paraguay. Wild is not known in this region, but it grows there wilded. The distribution of pineapple is pantropical. It means that it is cultivated worldwide in tropics.
Is pineapple farming profitable?
“Pineapple farming is a lucrative business that requires approximately Sh5000 as capital investment but gives high returns with minimal management as they thrive in periods of long dry spells and are rarely affected by pests and diseases.”
What is the origin of pineapple?
Pineapple is believed to have originated in the Brazilian rainforests. Pineapples were harvested by the native tribes and spread throughout South and Central America. When Christopher Columbus landed in the new world in 1493, the Spaniards named the fruit “piña” due to its resemblance to a pinecone.
How many pineapples can be grown per acre?
The butts give an average of 6 suckers each, though some have put forth up to 25. A one-acre (0.4 ha) nursery of 25,000 butts, therefore, yields between 100,000 and 200,000 suckers.
How do pineapples grow tree or plant?
Contrary to what some people think, pineapples don’t grow on trees — they grow out of the ground, from a leafy plant. The plant consists of stocky leaves whorled around a central stem. In a healthy pineapple plant, the tapered, swordlike leaves can grow up to about 5 feet (1.5 meters) long.
What is the description of pineapple?
A pineapple is a sweet tropical fruit with a tough leathery skin and spiky leaves on top. Pineapple is excellent, whether eaten as a snack, in a sweet dessert, in savory dishes like fried rice, or even on pizza.
How do pineapple plants reproduce?
Propagation – Commercially the pineapple plant is propagated by vegetative material, an asexual reproduction, without new combinations of genes. However, sexual reproduction is feasible as seeds are produced in the fruits if cross pollination between cultivars occurs, naturally or under controlled conditions.