Effect of foliar iron sulfate on the fruit growth and quality of pineapple (Ananas comosus cv. Yellow Mauritius) planted in lateritic soil in Leizhou Peninsula

¹ Key Laboratory of Tropical Fruit Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, China.
² South Subtropical Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Science (CATAS), Zhanjiang City, 524091, Guangdong Province, China.

^* Corresponding author’s e-mail: asiazhang1975@163.com

Abstract

Leizhou Peninsula in South China is facing a serious water shortage problem because of the special regional and geological conditions. As a kind of low water requirement crop, pineapple has been popular in lateritic soil. However, the physical characteristics of Lateritic soil such as too cohesive, impervious, low content of organic matter, and seasonal arid often bring some problem to pineapple cultivation. Seasonal iron deficiency can be easily observed from April to July. The effect of foliar spray of iron sulfate (with concentration of 0, 0.5%, 0.75%, 1%) on the fruit growth and quality of pineapple cv. Yellow Mauritius were studied in this research. Results showed that there were no significant difference (p>0.05) on the fruit weight, longitudinal diameter, transverse diameter among all the treatment. 0.75% treatment increased the fruit weight to 6.08% and decreased crown weight significantly. Both 0.75% and 1% iron sulfate treatment not only enhanced vitamin C extremely significantly, but also improved the aroma quality significantly with the increase of total esters, especially in the content of hexanoic acid methyl ester, 3-(methyl tio) propanoic acid methyl ester and 2-methylbutanoic acid methyl ester. The content of these 3 esters above were all extremely significantly higher than control, which means much stronger pleasant aroma. Hence, 0.75% was the optimal concentration of foliar spray with iron sulfate in pineapple cv. Yellow Mauritius.