Pineapple - Tropical and Subtropical Fruits: Postharvest Physiology, Processing and Packaging - page 326

Table 18.2. Characteristics of the major pineapple cultivars.

Cultivar

Smooth
Cayenne

Singapore
Spanish

Espanola
Roja

Characteristic Queen Perola MD-2

Production
area

Guianas Malaysia South Africa,

Australia

Venezuela,
Caribe,
Canary
Islands

Brazil Costa Rica

Leaves Smooth dark

green

Spinytonearly
spineless,
dark green

Ve r y s p i n y,
silvery

Spiny or half
spiny, dark
green

Erect spiny,
dark green

Spineless,
yellow-
green with
a reddish
tip

Fruit
Weight (kg)

1.5-2.5 ∼ 1.0 0.5-1.0 1.2-2.0 0.9-1.6 1.3-2.5

Shape Ovoid Cylindrical Conical Barrel shaped Ovoid Cylindrical

Color skin Yellow from

base to top

Dark purple to
orange

Yellow, small
prominent
eyes

Orange Green, yellow

in center of
mature eyes

Orange-
yellow

Color flesh Pale yellow Golden yellow Golden yellow Pale yellow White to

yellow

Yellow

Taste 13-19% TSS,

juicy, acid

14-18% TSS,
low acid,
low fiber

12% TSS,
low
acidity,
aromatic

13-16% TSS,
juicy,
aromatic

15-17%
TSS, low
acidity

Market
Canning

Very good Good Fair Fair Fair Fair

Fresh
Local Good Good Good Good Good Very good

Export Fair Very good Good Fair to poor Fair to poor Very good

Disease
problems

Mealybug wilt,
fusariosis,
fruitlet core
rot, butt rot

Fruit collapse,
nematodes

More resistant
than
'Smooth
Cayenne'

Nematodes Fusarioris Fruitlet core

rot

Physiological
problems

Internal
browning

Chlorosis Chilling injury,

internal
browning

Chlorosis

Source: Adapted from Chan et al. (2003).

Before harvesting, growers may use ethephon to accel-
erate shell degreening and force ripening (Crochon et al.,
1981). This ethephon treatment may be done 2-7 days be-
fore harvest, depending on the use restriction on the prod-
uct label. Following treatment, the fruit yellows more uni-
formly in the carton than untreated fruit and have a better
overall carton appearance. However, a minor acceleration

of senescence and faster loss of crown condition occurs. A
5% K 2 SO 4 + ethephon (100 mg/liter) spray, 4 weeks be-

fore harvest, increases TSS, potassium content, and flavor
and shortened the harvest period by 5-7 days (Nanayakkara
et al., 2005a).
Pickers walking between the rows select fruit in the field
by size, color, or both. The stage of maturity at harvest is