Part one - Plant and the environment

I.1- Taxonomy - Origin - Distribution

I.2 - Genetics

• Genetic Data
• Different cultivars
• Plant improvement

I.3 - Botany and Physiology

• Botanical characteristics
• Carbon fixation in pineapple
• Vegetative growth
• Flower differentiation
• Growth and development of the inflorescence - physiology of the fruit

I.4 - Ecology

• The plant and the physical environment
• The plant and the biological environment

I.5 - From biology to cultivation

• Length of cycle - weight and quality of the fruit - yield per ha
• Production of dry matter - water efficiency
• Flower induction (forcing) pand its consequances
• State of the population
• Plant nutrition

Part two - Cultivation

II.1 - Cultivation systems - crop combinations

• Range of cultivation systems
• Main factors determining the cultivation system
• Selection of crops that can be combined with pineapple

II.2 -Choice of site - preparation of the soil

• Choice of site
• Parcelling the plantation

II.3 - Layout of the plantation - choice of planting density

• Choice of layout
• Choice of planting density - effets of competition

II.4 - Planning plantation management–planting dates

• Production dates
• Dates for flower induction
• Length of cycle
• Planting dates
• Planning in retrospect and its implications
• Examples of different methods of planning

II.5 - Soil preparation

• Loosening of the soil and destruction of plant residues from the preceding crop
• Soil cover
• Soil improvement and basic fertilization
• Treatment with pesticides and herbicides at planting
• Mechanized soil preparation

II.6 – Choice, preparation and planting of planting material

• Different types of planting material
• Quality of planting material
• Grading and preparation of planting material
• Planting shoots
• Mechanized planting

II.7 - Fertilization

• Evolution of soil under pineapple cultivation
• Maintenance of physical and biological soil properties
• Maintenance of chemical soil properties
• Satisfying plant needs
• Method of application
• Method of application and localization
• Effect of covering the soil with plastic mulch
• Limiting factors
• Examples of rates and distribution

II.8 – Irrigation

• Definition of the problem - agronomic water management
• use of mulch
• Sprinkler irrigation
• Drip irrigation
• Water supply and productivity

II.9 - Plant protection

• Control of deseases associated with Phytophthora spp
• Control of deseases caused by Ceratocystis paradoxa (Thielaviopsis)
• Control of Fusariosis disease caused by Fusarium moniliforme var. subglutinans
• Control of deseases caused by Penicillium sp. and Fusarium sp.
• Control of deseases caused by bacteria and yeasts
• Control of yellow spot disease
• Control of wilt disease caused bu Dysmicoccus brevipes
• Control of nematodes
• Control of symphylids
• Control of coccids - Diaspis spp. and Longispinus sp.
• Control of mites
• Control of Thecla basilides (Geyer)
• Control of minor pests
• Weed control

II.10 - Artificial flower induction treatment (forcing)

• Range of products used - directions for use and effects
• Choice of artificial flower induction agent
• Additional tasks in connection with artificial flower induction
• Preventing natural flowering

II.11 – Preparation of the fruit – harvest

• Preparation of the fruit
• The harvest

II.12 - First ratoon crop and subsequent crops

• Profitability of the fist ratoon crop
• How to achieve success with Smooth Cayenne CVs
• Increasing homogeneity
• Other tasks to be carried out during vegetation
• Plantation management

II.13 - Vegetative multiplication

• Production of shoots
• Accelerated multiplications

Part three - Uses of pineapple

III.1 - Uses of the fruit

• Fresh fruit
• Traditional canned products
• By-products of the canning process
• Frozen and/or dehydrated pineapple products
• Other products

III.2 - Use of the vegetative parts of the plant (other than the fruit)

• Catle feed
• Fibres - paper
• Bromelin

III.3 - Use of the whole plant as a source of energy

Part four - Economic aspects

IV.1 -Main stages in the development of the pineapple industry

IV.2 -Production and markets

• World production of fresh fruits
• Local consumption
• Exports of fresh pineapples - imports
• Canned products - exports - imports
• Production of pineapple juice - exports - imports

IV.3 - Socio-economic aspects

IV.4 - Production costs

IV.5 – Fluctuations in prices of main products

Conclusion

Bibliography

Index