PINEAPPLE PRODUCTION IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS

Pineapple (Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.) is high value crop in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Favorable attributes for the local farming community include low maintenance, typhoon tolerance, source of income and high vitamin C content. ‘Smooth Cayenne’ (Pinan Hawaii), ‘Red Spanish’ (Pinan Chamorro), and ‘Queen’ (Pinan Aleman) are the three main cultivars grown. Pineapple production has been severely affected in recent years by the introduction of diseases and pests, a dwindling economy, high costs of labor, fertilizer, pesticides and irrigation. Natural disasters and paucity of quality planting material also constrained pineapple production in the Commonwealth. Nematodes, mealybugs, rodents, and snails are major insect pests that attack pineapple in the CNMI. Fungal rot and crown rot (Phytophthora) are among the diseases that cause severe damage to the crop. Due to the high cost of farm chemicals and restrictions, botanical pesticides such as neem leaf extract and soap solutions are being increasingly used by farmers to control insect pests and diseases. Other severe production and marketing constraints include competition from imported fruits that are high in quality and low in price, high fuel costs, water resource and quality, insufficient production and inconsistent supply of local produce, high transportation costs (inter island and export), and lack of marketing skills. This paper describes traditional cultivation practices, cultivars, propagation and production constraints of pineapple in the CNMI.