Pineapple: Diseases, Symptoms and their Management
Pineapple is a tropical fruit that is native to South America (Brazil) but is now widely grown in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. It is a type of bromeliad, a family of plants that also includes Spanish moss and the air plant. Pineapples affected by various diseases, that is caused by the Fungus, Bacteria and Viruses, some Diseases of Pineapple are:
Diseases of Pineapple
1. Heart Rot
Causal Organism: Fungus; Phytophthora parasitica
Symptoms:
- Plants of all ages are attacked, but crown plantings three to four months old are the most susceptible.
- Ratoon plants’ fruiting plants or suckers may be harmed.
- The heart leaves turn yellow or light coppery brown in colour.
- The heart leaves gradually wilt (causing the leaf edges to roll under), become brown, and die.
Management:
- Chlorthalonil 20g or Zineb 20g/10 litre of water should be sprayed on affected plants.
- Good soil drainage and the use of healthy planting material aid in limiting disease transmission.
2. Root Rot
Causal Organism: Fungus; Phytophthora cinnamomi
Symptoms:
- The symptoms above ground are comparable to those caused by nematodes,’mealy bug wilt,’ and low soil oxygen levels, and are not diagnostic.
- The tint of the leaves ranges from a healthy green to varied colours of red and yellow.
- The leaf tips and margins gradually turn necrotic, the root system dies, and the plants can be readily plucked from the ground.
Management:
- Chlorothalonil or Zineb should be sprayed on affected plants.
3. Base / Butt Rot
Causal Organism: Fungus; Chalara paradoxa / Ceratocystis paradoxa
Symptoms:
- Only crowns, slips, and suckers show symptoms before or immediately after planting.
- The fragile butt tissue rots grey-to-black, leaving stringy fibres and a hole at the stem’s base.
- If contaminated material is sown, partial degradation of the butt lowers plant development significantly.
Management:
- Planting material should be cured in the sun for at least two to three days before planting or packed for transport.
- Captofol dipping of the plant at 13.5kg/ha.
- Fruits are dipped in benomyl 0.2% or thiabendazole 0.1% for three minutes after harvesting.
4. Pineapple Wilt Virus
Causal Organism: Virus; Pineapple Wilt Virus
Vector: Mealybugs (Dysmicocus brevipes)
Symptoms:
- Beginning in the third or fourth whorl, leaves exhibit distinctive bronzing.
- The hue of the leaves varies from crimson to bright pink, with browning of the tips and downward curling of the edge.
- The pink colour intensifies and leaves from the top dry downwards. The tips of the leaves curl tightly back.
- The vibrant pink tint fades and the root system collapses.
Management:
- Use of disease-free planting material and removal of infected planting material.
- Diseased sucker can be recovered within 30-50 days by hot water or heat treatment at 50°c for 3 hours.
- Application of Disyston granules at plant base @1.5Kg.
- Treatment of planting materials by insecticide dips.
- Spray systemic insecticides such as Diazinon.
5. Pineapple Anthracnose
Causal Organism: Fungus; Colletotrichum ananas
6. Fusariosis
Causal Organism: Fungus; Fusarium subglutinans
7. Pink Diseases
Causal Organism: Bacteria; Erwinia herbicola
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