Origin & History:- Pineapple is native to the southern part of Brazil and Paraguay. It eventually reached throughout South America and the Caribbean countries. Columbus discovered it in the Indies and brought it back with him to Europe.  The Spanish introduced it into the Philippines and Hawaii in the early 16th century and then to Zimbabwe and Guam. Large scale pineapple cultivation by U.S. began in the early 1900s on Hawaii. The total world production of pineapple in 2001 was 14.220 million tons.  Southeast Asia dominated the world production. Thailand produced 1.979 million tons, the Philippines 1.618 million tons while in the Americas, Brazil 1.43 million tons. The primary exporters of fresh pineapples in 2001 were Costa Rica, 322,000 tons and Philippines, 135,000 tons.

The word pineapple in English was first recorded in 1398 when it was originally used to describe the reproductive organs of conifer trees now termed pine cones.  When European explorers discovered this tropical fruit, they called them pineapples.

The plant:-  The pineapples is a tropical or near-tropical plant, but can tolerate brief exposures to 28° F. Prolonged cold above freezing retards growth, delays maturity and causes the fruit to be more acid. Pineapples are also drought-tolerant. The pineapple plant is 2.5 to 5 feet high with a spread of 3 to 4 feet. It is essentially a short, stout stem with waxy, strap like leaves. The long-pointed leaves are 20 - 72 inch in length. Occasionally a plant may bear 2 or more heads instead of the normal one. At blooming time, the stem puts forth small purple or red flowers.

The flowers usually develop small, hard seeds. Seeds are generally not found in commercially grown pineapple. The oval to cylindrical-shaped, compound fruit develops from many small fruits fused together. The flesh ranges from nearly white to yellow. In size the fruits are up to 12 inch long and weigh 500 g to 4.5 kg. The fruit should be stored at 45° F or above, but should be stored for no longer than 4 - 6 weeks.

The best soil for the pineapple is a friable, well-drained sandy loam with a high organic content. The plant cannot stand water logging. The plant is drought tolerant, but adequate soil moisture is necessary for good fruit production. Nitrogen is essential to increase fruit size, which should be added every four months. Fruit weight can be increased by the addition of magnesium.

Pests and diseases: Pineapples are subject to a variety of diseases, the most serious of which is by mealy bugs. Mealy bugs spread by ants. Controlling the ants will control the mealy bugs. In most commercial growing areas, nematodes, mites and beetles can also be damaging.  Other diseases include pink disease, bacterial heart rot, and anthracnose.

Nutritional value:- The pineapple has very useful nutritive value. It contains Carbohydrates, Dietary fiber, Fat, Protein, Thiamine (Vitamin  B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin  B2), Niacin (Vitamin  B3),  Pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc etc.

Medicinal value:-  Pineapple contains the enzyme bromelain, which breaks down protein. Pineapple juice can thus be used as a marinade. The enzymes in raw pineapples can interfere with the preparation of some foods, such as jelly or other gelatin-based desserts. The bromelain breaks down in cooking or the canning process, thus canned pineapple can generally be used with gelatin. These enzymes can be hazardous to someone suffering from certain protein deficiencies or disorders. Raw pineapples also should not be consumed by those with hemophilia or by those with kidney or liver disease, as it may reduce the time taken to coagulate a consumer’s blood.

Pineapple is also beneficial for some intestinal disorders and serves as a pain reliever. The root and fruit are either eaten or applied topically as an antiinflammatory and as a proteolytic agent.