INVESTIGATIONS ON OPTIMUM PLANT POPULATION FOR PINEAPPLES IN KENYA

In experiments at the National Horticultural Research Station, Thika, to establish an optimum population density for pineapple planting, the commercially grown cultivar Smooth Cayenne was used. Population densities of 46 100, 47 800 and 53 800 plants per hectare were compared with the recommended 43 000 plants per hectare. Uniform sized crowns were used as the planting material to facilitate uniform growth and even cropping. The total yield of pineapple increased with increased plant population but individual fruit size diminished with closer spacing. It was therefore recommended that the higher population of 53 800 plants per hectare be used for the production of pineapples for the fresh market, where the smaller fruit is popularly accepted, while 47 800 plants per hectare should be used for producing pineapples for canning.