Pure crop:

Prepare the land by digging the area to be planted at 90 cm width in rows / strips, leaving the interspaces undisturbed. However, ploughing can be adopted in level land. Planting is done in paired rows of 45 cm distance between rows and 30 cm between suckers. Suckers may be planted in triangular method in the paired rows. Interspace between the paired rows is kept at 1.5 m. Contour planting may be adopted in sloppy areas.

Intercropping in coconut garden:

Land preparation, spacing and planting are the same as described above.  There can be three-paired rows in between two rows of coconut.

Intercropping in rubber plantations:

System of planting is in paired rows at 45 x 30 cm.  There will be only one paired row of pineapple in between two rows of rubber.

Wetlands / lowlands:

Pineapple is highly sensitive to water stagnation and high moisture regimes.  Hence it is important to provide good drainage, if grown in wetlands.  In paddy lands, pineapple is planted in paired rows at 45 x 30 cm spacing on ridges taken at 60-90 cm height, depending on the water table and drainage requirement.  The ridges are separated by drainage channels having 60 cm width.  The width of the ridges varies from 1.2-1.5 m.  Wherever water stagnation and poor drainage are expected, a wider and deeper channel is given in between ridges.

Cowpea, sunhemp or diancha can be sown in the interspaces and covered with soil soon after planting the suckers. The biomass can be uprooted at flowering and applied to pineapple plots as manure. This will also help to control the weeds by smothering them up to four months.  

Selection of suckers

Suckers are selected from disease and pest free healthy plants. Suckers are to be graded into those having 0.5-0.75 kg and 0.75-1 kg. The graded suckers are planted in different blocks or plots, to get uniformity in growth and flowering. Bigger suckers give early yield. Dipping of suckers in 1% Bordeaux mixture and 0.05% quinalphos will protect the suckers against diseases and pests.

Planting

After preliminary land preparations, planting is done in small pits of 10-15 cm depth at a spacing of 45 cm between rows and 30 cm between plants in the rows. There is no need to plant the suckers in trenches.

Manuring

Apply compost / FYM at the rate of 25 t/ha at the time of planting. Apply fertilizers at the rate of 8:4:8 g N: P₂O₅: K₂O per plant per year. Full dose of P₂O₅ is applied as basal at the time of planting. Nitrogen and K₂O are applied as four equal split doses after planting. First dose may be applied at 40-50 days after planting and thereafter at 60-70 days intervals.

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).

Weed control

Pre-emergence (within a few weeks after planting) spray of diuron @ 1 kg/ha 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 avoiding rainy periods. Weeds in interspaces can be controlled by spraying glyphosate 0.8 kg/ha. While spraying in interspaces, care should be taken that the weedicide shall not fall on pineapple plant.

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% ethrel or 12.5 ml of 10% 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. Fruits will be ready for harvest by 130-135 days after the application of growth regulator. Harvest over different months / seasons could be obtained by carefully phasing / planning the planting and growth regulator application.