Enhancing growth, yield, and fruit quality of pineapple (Ananas comosus) with organic and inorganic fertilizer applications
Paper Details
Enhancing growth, yield, and fruit quality of pineapple (Ananas comosus) with organic and inorganic fertilizer applications
Abstract
This study evaluated the effects of organic and inorganic fertilizer applications on the growth, yield, and fruit quality of pineapple (Ananas comosus L.) under field conditions at the Institute of Agricultural Technology, Isabela State University, Cauayan Campus, Philippines. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three fertilizer treatments: organic fertilizer (OF), inorganic fertilizer (IF), and an integrated combination of organic and inorganic fertilizers (IF+OF). Growth parameters, yield components, and fruit quality attributes were assessed and analyzed using analysis of variance, with mean separation performed at p ≤ 0.05. Organic fertilizer application significantly enhanced vegetative growth, producing the tallest plants (98.4 cm), the highest number of leaves (42.3 leaves plant⁻¹), and the greatest stem diameter (6.42 cm), compared with inorganic fertilizer treatment. Yield performance was also improved under OF and IF+OF treatments, which recorded higher fruit numbers (1.42 and 1.36 fruits plant⁻¹, respectively) than IF. The highest mean fruit weight was obtained from OF-treated plants (1.78 kg), while IF resulted in comparatively lighter fruits (1.44 kg). Fruit quality was strongly influenced by fertilizer source. Pineapples produced under organic fertilization exhibited the highest soluble solids content (15.6 °Brix), larger fruit diameter (13.8 cm), and superior sensory scores (8.1 on a 9-point hedonic scale). Integrated fertilization produced intermediate values across most quality parameters, whereas inorganic fertilizer alone resulted in lower sugar content and sensory ratings. Overall, the results indicate that organic and integrated fertilizer applications improve pineapple growth, yield, and fruit quality more effectively than inorganic fertilizer alone, highlighting their potential role in sustainable pineapple production systems.
Ali A, Kumar A, Singh R. 2017. Effect of inorganic fertilizers on growth and yield of pineapple. Journal of Horticultural Science 12(3), 101–109.
Bai Z, Zhong F. 2019. Fertilizer use efficiency and environmental impact in pineapple production. Agronomy for Sustainable Development 39(1), 23–34.
Giri S, Saha S, Dey D. 2020. Integrating organic and inorganic fertilizers for better crop yield and quality: A review. Soil Science and Plant Nutrition 66(2), 132–144.
Gomez KA, Gomez AA. 1984. Statistical procedures for agricultural research. John Wiley & Sons, New York.
Jha S, Agarwal P. 2021. Organic fertilization and its impact on pineapple yield and fruit quality in tropical conditions. Agricultural Reviews 42(4), 234–245.
Khan M, Khan A, Shah T. 2017. Impact of inorganic fertilizers on soil health and crop yield: A review. Journal of Agricultural Science 32(1), 45–59.
Kumar P, Chaudhary V. 2020. Integrating organic and inorganic fertilizers for sustainable pineapple production. International Journal of Agriculture and Food Research 10(2), 211–224.
López M, Hernandez A, Fernandez J. 2019. Economic importance of pineapple cultivation in the Philippines: A socio-economic analysis. Philippine Journal of Agricultural Economics 44(2), 23–35.
Pérez F, Rivera L. 2021. Nutrient management in pineapple production systems. Horticultural Science and Technology 29(5), 611–619.
Sanyal P, Nayak P. 2017. Effects of different organic fertilizers on pineapple yield and quality. Agricultural Research 28(4), 291–298.
Singh K, Verma D. 2020. The impact of fertilization on pineapple yield and fruit characteristics: A review. Horticultural Science and Technology 37(2), 215–225.
Singh S, Rajput R. 2019. Comparative study of organic and chemical fertilizers on pineapple yield and quality. International Journal of Tropical Agriculture 36(4), 500–510.
Verma S, Yadav P, Gupta R. 2018. Sustainable agricultural practices: A comprehensive review of organic fertilizers. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture 6(1), 1–12.
Jr. Cipriano M. Ticman, 2025. Enhancing growth, yield, and fruit quality of pineapple (Ananas comosus) with organic and inorganic fertilizer applications. Int. J. Agron. Agric. Res., 27(1), 27-33.
Copyright © 2025 by the Authors. This article is an open access article and distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) license.