Cultural treatments in pineapple crop. Management for high yield – Review

Abstract

Several factors influence in the vegetative development, yield and quality of pineapple fruits, among which the cultural treatments adopted throughout the production cycle stand out, mainly weed control, mineral nutrition, irrigation and induction artificial flowering. The purpose of this review was to present the main advances in research on cultural treatments in the cultivation of pineapple (Ananas comosus L. Merril) and their effects on yield and fruit quality. Current research shows that interventions for weed management, through chemical control with herbicides or the adoption of organic or inorganic soil cover are strategies that can be adopted by producers who seek to reduce labor costs and provide good conditions for plant development. The use of mulching is a promising and effective practice, given the cost reduction with polluting herbicide applications and improvement of the physicochemical quality of the soil. Regarding mineral nutrition, pineapple is a rustic plant, tolerant to soils with moderate acidity and low levels of nutrients in the soil, however, liming and fertilization are essential for crops where high yields are sought. In the same way, it is verified that the pineapple, even being a CAM metabolism plant, tolerant to situations of water stress, is highly responsive to irrigation, which provides improvements in the vegetative and reproductive development of the plant. Another essential management practice in pineapple crops is artificial floral induction, a practice that aims to synchronize the flowering period, facilitate harvesting and ensure a consumer market in times when the supply of fruit is scarce