Benefits Of Adding Fertilizers To Pineapple
Pineapple fertilizers are available in both solid and liquid forms, and they should be applied occasionally for potassium and in small quantities on a regular basis for nitrogen. Farmers apply granular fertilizers two weeks after planting; the next fertilization is typically foliar. Due to its lower costs, greater effectiveness, and practicality, foliar fertilization is becoming more important in the cultivation of pineapples.
The nutrients nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium are needed by pineapple trees to maintain growth and crop productivity (K).
Benefits Of Adding Fertilizers To Pineapple
These nutrients must be given to the plant in the right amounts at the right times because they have specific functions. Fruit weight, shape, and quality issues could result from a lack of these nutrients. In particular, pineapple, like all other crops, requires nitrogen because a deficiency prevents growth, resulting in dwarf plants and leaf yellowing, which affects the appearance of both the fruit and the stems. A potassium deficiency may be indicated by yellow spots on pineapple leaves.
It is crucial to remember that two months prior to bloom induction, all nitrogen fertilization should cease.
For a field with 75,000 trees per hectare, you can find some general recommendations for the annual pineapple fertilization schedule below (in the absence of soil analysis data) (30,400 trees per acre).
Granulated solid fertilizers and soluble liquid fertilizers can both be used for fertilization (with fertigation or foliar sprays). Below is a description of each system.
a) Solid fertilizers in granule form
For consistency, people can apply granulated fertilizers with simple implements like spoons or other tools, but they can also quickly apply granular fertilizers by hand.
The fertilizers can be applied as a side dressing or directly into the planting pits or furrows.
When applying granular solid fertilizer, care should be taken to avoid letting any of it fall on the topmost or youngest leaves because doing so could harm them.
b) Soluble (liquid) fertilizer foliar sprays
As a result of the pineapple plant’s structure and the morphological and anatomical characteristics of its leaves, which enhance foliar nutrition absorption, foliar sprays of soluble and liquid fertilizers are distributed to the leaves. When applying N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and micronutrients, this method is frequently used.
In sizable plantations, spray booms mounted to tractors’ back tanks or backpacks are used for foliar application.
It is crucial to remember that the solution’s fertilizer content shouldn’t be higher than 10%. Even though a mature pineapple plant’s leaves can tolerate high fertilizer salt concentrations without issue, too much of it in the soil can hurt or kill the plant’s roots by drying them out.
In general, 1,000 plants should receive 3.5 gal (13.3 liters) of application.
What Ingredients Are in Pineapple?
The pineapple, Ananas comosus, is a South American native and a member of the Bromeliaceae family. It is a short, thick-stemmed herbaceous perennial tropical plant. Between one hundred and two hundred flowers are arranged in a spiral shape on the inflorescence. About thirty to sixty days pass during flowering; one hundred and thirty-five days after the flower first appears are needed to harvest the ripe fruit.
Climate: Pineapple requires an environment with high levels of humidity, a regular precipitation regime, and an average temperature of 25 to 32 oC. Although pineapple can withstand relatively long droughts, lack of water during planting, the start of flowering, and fruit set slows growth and reduces the size of the fruit.
Light: Strong illumination helps with performance, good shell coloration, and fruit quality.
Light, well-drained soils that are dense in organic matter. Low permeability of the soil, particularly in rainy climates, is one of the factors limiting pineapple growth because it encourages pathogen attack on the root system.
pH: The ideal range for the growth of plants from 5.0 to 6.0 is between 4.5 and 6.5. Deficits in microelements are more likely in environments with pH values higher than 6.5
Conclusion – Benefits Of Adding Fertilizers To Pineapple
It is crucial to keep in mind that the grower should think about performing a soil analysis upfront in order to define and cover the fertilization needs of the crop. This is due to the fact that the amount of nutrients in various soils varies depending on a variety of factors, including how acidic they are.
