Pineapple. Pineapple (Ananas comusus (L.) Merr.) occupies about 12,000 hectares and is grown mainly in Assam, West Bengal, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka. It is a humid tropical plant and grows well, both in the plains and also at elevations not exceeding 900 metres. It tolerates neither very high temperatures nor frost. It grows in almost any type of soil, provided it is free-draining.
VARIETIES. 'Kew', 'Queen' and 'Mauritius' are the three popular varieties. 'Kew' produces large fruits and is mostly used for canning. The other two have smaller fruits which are considered to be of superior quality. 'Kew' is a late-fruiting variety. 'Queen' is early, while 'Mauritius is intermediate.
PROPAGATION AND PLANTING. Pineapple is commonly propagated from suckers or slips. Suckers arising from the underground parts of the plant are commonly used. Slips arise from the fruiting stem and from the crown on top of the fruit. After the fruit is harvested, stalks are cut into discs and used for propagation. Plants grown from suckers produce fruits in about 18 months, whereas those from slips and suckers propagated from disc cuttings take over two years.
Suckers or slips are first cured by stripping off the lower leaves, followed by drying in the sun, or in partial shade for three to four days before planting. They are planted either in flat beds, where there is no danger of water stagnation, or in shallow trenches which are filled as the suckers grow and develop. Care should be taken to see that the bud or 'heart' of the suckers does not get buried. A planting density of 43,500 plants per hectare can be followed, keeping a distance of 30 cm between plant and plant, 60 cm between rows and 90 cm between beds. The rainy season is the best time for planting.
CULTURE. The field is prepared by ploughing, harrowing, etc., before planting. In the hills, proper terracing is a necessity. In dry regions, the crop requires regular irrigation. Even when rain-fed, irrigation during the dry weather is necessary every week or ten days. Twenty-five to 50 tonnes of farmyard manure per hectare is applied in two doses in the 6th and 12th month after planting. Sixteen grammes of N and 2.5 g of K2O per plant should be applied. Of these, part of the nitrogen can be applied as foliar application as 4% urea. Only two suckers are retained on each plant for the ratoon crop. After harvest, the plants are earthed up to stimulate the rooting of the ratoon suckers. The plantations is allowed to remain on the same site for four to five years after which it is renewed.
INDUCTION OF FLOWERING. Uniform flowering can be obtained by the application of NNA (Planofix), calcium carbide or Ethrel (100 ppm) at the 45-leaf stage.
HARVESTING AND MARKETING. Pineapple usually flowers from February to April and the fruits are ready from July to September. Sometimes, off-season flowers appear, and they produce fruits in September-December. The fruits are harvested when they just begin to yellow and the eyes become full and the bracts wither. The fruit is cut clean, retaining with it about 5 cm of the stalk.
The yield is 12 to 17 tonnes per hectare in the case of the two smaller varieties and 25 to 30 tonnes per hectare in the case of 'Kew' in the first year. With a high population density, even about 85 tonnes of fruit can be obtained. Fruiting decreased progressively in the case of the ratoon crops. For transport, the fruits are wrapped up in straw and packed in bamboo baskets or crates in one or two layers.
Sapota. Sapota (Achras zapota L.) known popularly as chiku in western and central India, is adaptable to a large variety of conditions of soil and climate. It flourishes in the heavy-rainfall areas of western and southern India and grows equally well in the drier parts of the Peninsular India. It is an evergreen, growing and flowering almost throughout the year. Rain or cloudy weather does not harm the setting of fruits. Young plants are easily injured by frost, but grown-up trees can withstand frost of a short duration. Its soil requirements are not very exacting, but it grows best in alluvial or sandy-loam soilshaving good drainage.
VARIETIES. 'Cricket Ball' and 'Dwaropudi', both with round fruits, are common in Tamil Nadu, whereas 'Bangalora', 'Vavila Valasa' (both oval-fruited), 'Jonnavalasa' (round-fruited), 'Kirtabarati' and 'Pot' (dwarf trees) are recognized in Andhra Pradesh. In western India, 'Kalipatti' and 'Chatri' (both oval-fruited) are well-known varieties. The variety 'Cricket Ball' does very well in Karnataka.
PROPAGATION AND PLANTING. Propagated by layering, gootees (air-layering) or inarching. Side-grafting and budding are also possible. Rootstocks employed are rayan or manikara (Manilkara hexandra or mohwa (Bassia latifolia and B. longifolia). The second and third species are not recommended, as they are not compatible with the sapota scions. In northern India, the planting-distance is 4.5 to 6 metres, whereas in the south, it is 9 to 12 metres. In northern India, the young plant must be suitably protected against frost and hot winds after planting.
CULTURE. Before planting, the field is ploughed, harrowed and levelled. Irrigation is given every six to twelve days, except during the rainy season. The removal of weeds and the loosening of the soil by ploughing or harrowing are done once or twice a year. Manures and fertilizers are applied, as recommended for mango. For the bearing trees, half of the dose is applied in October-November and the other half in February-March or before the monsoon. Intercrops of vegetables may be taken for the first six to ten years. No pruning is necessary.
HARVESTING AND MARKETING. Substantial fruiting starts from the fourth or fifth year. The fruit takes four months to mature. Flowers appear throughout the year, but the crop is available for harvesting in two to three seasons, i.e. northern and central India, March-April and August-September; in southern India, February-June and September-October and in western India, January-February and May-June. The yield varies from 200 to 300 fruits in the fourth year, from 700 to 800 in the seventh year, from 1,500 to 2,000 between the tenth and 15th year, and from 2,500 to 3,000 from the 20th to 30th year. Mature fruits show a yellow streak, whereas the immature fruits show a green streak when scratched with the fingernail.
For distant markets, the fruits are packed in bamboo baskets immediately after picking, using straw as padding. Oval and round fruits may be separately packed.
Pomegranate. The largest area under pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) about 500 hectares, is in Maharashtra, but there are small plantings in almost all parts. Where winters are cold, the tree is deciduous, but in the plains, it is evergreen. A hot, dry summer produces the best fruits. The presence of many seeds and of tannin in the rind and membranes detracts from its attractiveness. The tree can stand considerable drought.
Climate
Pomegranate is sub-tropical fruit. It can adopt itself to a wide range of climatic conditions and can grow up to 1800 m above sea level. The fruit tree grows best in semi-arid climate where cool winter and hot and dry summer prevail. The tree requires hot and dry climate during the peroid of fruit development and ripening. The optimum temperature for fruit development is 380C. The tree can not produce sweet fruits unless the temperature is high for a sufficient long period. Under tropical and sub-tropical climate, it behaves as an evergreen or partially deciduous. Under humid conditions, the sweetness of fruit is adversely affected. Therefore, it is considered that pomegranate is a hardy fruit and can thrive well under drought conditions, though yield is low. The plant bear well only under irrigation.
In areas of low temperature, the tree behaves as deciduous in nature and sheds its leaves during winter months. It is also rated as winter hardy fruit tree. Two years old shoots of hardy cultivers are not damaged even at 20C. When temperature falls below -140C, visible damage due to frost occurs. Aridity and frequent anomalies of the climate cause leaf shedding and fruit cracking.
Soils
It can be grown on diverse types of soil. The pomegranate is not very particular about its soil requirement. The deep loamy and alluvial soils are ideal for its cultivation. It can tolerate soils which are lomay and slightly alkaline. It can thrive well on comparatively poor soils where other fruits fail to grow. Pomegranate can also be grown in medium and black soils. It is rated as salt-hardy fruit plant.
