Optimizing pineapple fruit production through growing media selection

Saboki, Ebrahim; Jafari, Azam

doi:10.22077/jhpr.2025.8557.1460

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Ebrahim Saboki ¹
Azam Jafari ²

¹ Agronomy and Horticulture Crops Research Department, Baluchestan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Iranshahr, Iran

² Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Ardakan University, Ardakan, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22077/jhpr.2025.8557.1460

Abstract

Purpose: Pineapple (Ananas comosus L.) is a tropical fruit of significant economic importance worldwide. The cultivation of this crop is influenced by various factors, including the growth media, which directly affect plant growth, yield, and fruit quality. Therefore, selecting the appropriate growth medium is crucial for achieving optimal pineapple production. Research method: This study was conducted over four years and evaluated five growing medium treatments: 1) a control consisting of field soil, sand, and animal manure; 2) peat moss and perlite; 3) peat moss, perlite, and sand; 4) cocopeat and perlite; and 5) cocopeat, perlite, and sand. Each treatment was replicated three times, with six pots per replicate, arranged in a randomized complete block design under a shade system with drip irrigation in Chabahar, located in Sistan and Baluchestan province, Iran. Findings: The results indicated that the cocopeat, perlite, and sand mixture significantly outperformed the other treatments in terms of vegetative growth and yield. The fruit weights with crown for the main plant and ratoon grown in this medium were 1208 and 851 g, respectively, with corresponding yields of 101,173 and 62,240 kg/ha, respectively. A combination of cocopeat, perlite, and sand has proven to be the optimal growth medium for pineapple cultivation. Research limitations: No limitations were found. Originality/Value: This study demonstrated that this specific mixture significantly enhanced vegetative growth, fruit yield, and overall plant health compared with the other tested media. These results suggest that this growing medium can be effectively used for pineapple production in a controlled environment.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Tropical Fruits

References

Agarwal, P., Saha, S., & Hariprasad, P. (2021). Agro-industrial-residues as potting media: Physicochemical and biological characters and their influence on plant growth. Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery, 9, 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-021-01998-6.

Ajema, L., & Shewangizaw, K. (2021). Dry matter production response of non-conventional pineapple (Ananas comosus L.) Seedling to Nursery Media Preparation. European Journal of Biophysics, 9(1), 9-12. https://doi.org/ 10.11648/j.ejb.20210901.12.

Aruna, T. E. 2019. Production of value-added product from pineapple peels using solid state fermentation. Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies, 57, Article 102193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifset.2019.102193

Anonymous. (2013). Land requirements for growing pineapple. Queensland Government, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. https://era.daf.qld.gov.au/id/eprint/8639/

Bartholomew, D. P., Malézieux, E., Sanewski, G. M., & Sinclair, E. (2003). Inflorescence and fruit development and yield. In D. P. Bartholomew, R. E. Paull, & K. G. Rohrbach (Eds.), The pineapple: Botany, production and uses (pp. 167-202). CABI Publishing.

Bartholomew, D. P., & Kadzimin, S. B. (1977). Pineapple. In Ecophysiology of tropical crops (pp. 113-156). Academic Press.

Chhetri, S., Dulal, S., Subba, S., & Gurung, K. (2022). Effect of different growing media on growth and yield of leafy vegetables in nutrient film technique hydroponics system. Archives of Agriculture and Environmental Science, 7(1), 12-19. https://doi.org/10.26832/24566632.2022.070103.

Datta, S. (2013). Impact of climate change in Indian horticulture—A review. International Journal of Science, Environment and Technology, 2(4), 661-671.

Deuter, P. (2008). Defining the impacts of climate change on horticulture in Australia [Report prepared for the Garnaut Climate Change Review, Canberra].

Dull, G. G. (1971).The pineapple: general. In: A. C. Hulme (Ed.). The biochemistry of fruits and their products, Academic Press, New York. 2, 303-324.

Erdal, İ., & Aktaş, H. (2025). Comparison of the perlite, leonardite, vermicompost and peat moss and their combinations with cocopeat as tomato growing media. Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-025-02294-2.

Gebisa, L. A. (2021). Determination of appropriate compost based nursery media preparation for pineapple (Annanas comosus MERR L.) seedling growth at South Ethiopia. International Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry, 6(2), 14-20. https://doi.org/ 10.11648/j.ijbc.20210602.11.

Hung, N. Q., Ha, L. T. M., Lien, D. T., Nga, N. T. T., & Lam, V. P. (2024). Optimal shoot mass for propagation to increase the yield and quality of pineapple. Sustainability, 16(13), 5729. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16135729.

Ilahi, W., & Ahmad, D. (2017). A study on the physical and hydraulic characteristics of cocopeat perlite mixture as a growing media in containerized plant production. Sains Malaysiana, 46(6), 975-980. https://doi.org/10.17576/JSM-2017-4606-17.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). (2014). Climate change 2014: synthesis report. In: Core Writing Team, Pachauri, R. K., Meyer, L. A. (Eds.). Contribution of working groups I, II and III to the fifth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (pp. 151). Geneva, Switzerland: IPCC.

Jackson, D., Williams, I., Newby, D., Hall, S., Higgins, S., Francis, R., & Smith, A. (2016). Tissue cultured versus traditionally grown pineapples: Growth and nutrient profile. Journal of Biotechnology & Biomaterials, 6, 1-5. https://doi.org/10.4172/2155-952X.1000237.

Lakho, M. A., Jatoi, M. A., Solangi, N., Abul-Soad, A. A., Qazi, M. A., & Abdi, G. (2023). Optimizing in vitro nutrient and ex vitro soil mediums-driven responses for multiplication, rooting, and acclimatization of pineapple. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 1275. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-28359-9.

Madhavi, B., Khan, F., Bhujel, A., Jaihuni, M., Kim, N., Moon, B., & Kim, H. (2021). Influence of different growing media on the growth and development of strawberry plants. Heliyon, 7(6). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07170.

Manja, K., & Aoun, M. (2019). The use of nets for tree fruit crops and their impact on the production: A review. Scientia Horticulturae, 246, 110-122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2018.10.050.

Matos Viegas, I. J., Paes da Silva, R. N., Seabra Silva, D. A., De Oliveira Neto, C. F., Oliveira da Conceição, H. E., Mascarenhas, G. S., Okumura, R. S., Monfort, L. E. F. & Lima da Silva, R. T. (2014). Mineral composition and visual symptoms of nutrients deficiencies in Curaua plants (Ananas comosus var. erectifolius). Australian Journal of Crop Science, 8(5), 747-753.

Mugambwa, E. K. (2014). Effects of climatic variability on pineapple growing in Uganda: A case study of pineapple growers in Kangulumira sub-county, Kayunga District (LAP Lambert Academic Publishing). OmniScriptum GmbH & Co. KG.

Nakasone, H. Y., & Paull, R. E. (1998). Tropical fruits. CAB Publishing.

Reinhardt, D. H. (2001). Clima. In D. H. Reinhardt, L. F. da S. Souza, J. R. S. Cabral (Eds.), Abacaxi irrigado em condições semi-áridas (p. 11). Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura.

Rezaei Nejad, A., & Ismaili, A. (2014). Changes in growth, essential oil yield and composition of geranium (Pelargonium graveolens L.) as affected by growing media. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 94(5), 905-910. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.6334.

Sabahelkhier, K. M., Hussain, A. S., & Ishag, K. E. A. (2010). Effect of maturity stage on protein fractionation, in vitro protein digestibility and anti-nutrition factors in pineapple (Ananas comosus) fruit grown in Southern Sudan. African Journal of Food Science, 4(8), 550 -552.

Santos, M. D. S., Bomfim, G. V. D., Azevedo, B. M. D., Carvalho, A. C. P. P. D., & Fernandes, C. N. V. (2020). The production of ornamental pineapple in pots under different drip-irrigation depths. Revista Ceres, 67, 111-118.

Schmilewski, G. (2008). The role of peat in assuring the quality of growing media. Mires & Peat, 3, 1-8. Singh, S. P. (1995). Commercial fruits. Kalyani publishers.

Umi, H. N., Tricahya, R. A., & Farid, A. M. (2020). Performance analysis of drip and sprinkler irrigation on pineapple cultivation. In IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 451(1), 012034. IOP Publishing.

World Population Review. (n.d.). (2023). Pineapple production by country. Retrieved October 26, from https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/pineapple-production-by-country.

Yonesi, S., Hemmati, K., Moradi, P., & Khorasaninejad, S. (2025). Evaluation of hydroponic growth media on phytochemical performances of two basil genotypes. International Journal of Horticultural Science and Technology, 191-206. https://doi.org/10.22059/IJHST.2024.373388.793.

Journal of Horticulture and Postharvest Research

Optimizing pineapple fruit production through growing media selection

References

References

Articles in Press, Corrected Proof
Available Online from 21 August 2025

Optimizing pineapple fruit production through growing media selection

References

References

Articles in Press, Corrected Proof Available Online from 21 August 2025

Articles in Press, Corrected Proof
Available Online from 21 August 2025