Pineapple yield and quality on a banana soil of the Canary Islands irrigated with acid and saline water

Abstract

Pineapple (Ananas comosus L. Merr) plants, cultivar "Red Spanish", weree grown in a greenhouse in 300-L containers, with soil from a banana plantation, and irrigated with saline and acid waters, Essential chemical soil chartacteristics were a pH of 6.9 electrical conductivity (EC) 1.26 dS m$ and available nutrient status 188 ppm P, 11,95 meq (100-g)$ Ca, 5.25 meq (100-g)$ Mg, 3.96 meq (100-g)$ K, and 2.17 meq (100-g)Na. Irrigation water treatments consisted of control (tap water); 7, 14, 21, and 28 meq L$ NaCl; 10, 15, 20, and 25 meq L$ NaHCO$; and 75 meq L$ H$SO$. Sodium chloride at levels of 14 meq L$ and above in water affected fruit yield and quality adversely. Neither acid water nor bicarbonated waters had any effect on the fruit, except for the highest level of NaHCO$.