An experimellt on pineapple (Ananas comosus L Merr. ) was conducted at ARS, Malepatan in
acid soil condition ( 4.6-4.8 pH) during the years 1999 to 2003 to evaluate the response of
manure and fertilizers on the plant growth and pineapple production . The experiment was
laid out in a randomized complete block design and was replicated three times. Eigl!t different
levels of fertilizer (NPK) and compost were applied to evaluate their effects on the pineapple
production The results revealed that the manure and fertilizer levels influenced the growth
characters (plant height, leaf, crown and sucker numbers). Maximum suckers ( 1.69 /plant)
were produced wben the crop was supplied with 600: 400: 600 kg per hectare N, P20 5 and
K20 plus 20 ton per hectare of compost. Ma:'Cimum fruit length (10.59 em) and fruit
circumference (29.02 em) were observed at this level of manure and fertilizer application.
Maximum biomass (2.58 kg /plant) and fruit weight (513.33 g per plant) were produced when
the crop was fertilized with 20 ton per hectare of compost plus 600: 400: 600 kg N, P20 5, and
K20 per hectare and were found highly significantly different to other levels of fertilizer
application. The significant response of manure and fertilizers was observed on fruit weight
of pineapple. The minimum fruit weight of 5. 74 tlha which is equivalent toRs. 57,400 /ha, was
observed with the non-treated control crop, whereas the maximum fruit yieliof 11.41 t /ha
which is equivalent to Rs. 1,14, 100.0/ha (gross rerum) was obse1ved when the crop was
supplied with 20 ton per hectare of compost plus 600: 400: 600 kg N. P20 5 and K20 per
hectare where the cost of fertilizer and compost was calculated to be Rs. 75,538.0 /Ita and the
net retum was observed to be Rs 38,562.0 /ha, which was found to be higher than the nontreated
crop suggesting that fertilizer application alone at 200: 100: 200 kg N, P205 and
K20 per hectare could give the highest net- retum of Rs. 75,149.0 per hectare in acid soil
condition of Malepatan.

An experimellt on pineapple (Ananas comosus L Merr. ) was conducted at ARS, Malepatan in
acid soil condition ( 4.6-4.8 pH) during the years 1999 to 2003 to evaluate the response of
manure and fertilizers on the plant growth and pineapple production . The experiment was
laid out in a randomized complete block design and was replicated three times. Eigl!t different
levels of fertilizer (NPK) and compost were applied to evaluate their effects on the pineapple
production The results revealed that the manure and fertilizer levels influenced the growth
characters (plant height, leaf, crown and sucker numbers). Maximum suckers ( 1.69 /plant)
were produced wben the crop was supplied with 600: 400: 600 kg per hectare N, P20 5 and
K20 plus 20 ton per hectare of compost. Ma:'Cimum fruit length (10.59 em) and fruit
circumference (29.02 em) were observed at this level of manure and fertilizer application.
Maximum biomass (2.58 kg /plant) and fruit weight (513.33 g per plant) were produced when
the crop was fertilized with 20 ton per hectare of compost plus 600: 400: 600 kg N, P20 5, and
K20 per hectare and were found highly significantly different to other levels of fertilizer
application. The significant response of manure and fertilizers was observed on fruit weight
of pineapple. The minimum fruit weight of 5. 74 tlha which is equivalent toRs. 57,400 /ha, was
observed with the non-treated control crop, whereas the maximum fruit yieliof 11.41 t /ha
which is equivalent to Rs. 1,14, 100.0/ha (gross rerum) was obse1ved when the crop was
supplied with 20 ton per hectare of compost plus 600: 400: 600 kg N. P20 5 and K20 per
hectare where the cost of fertilizer and compost was calculated to be Rs. 75,538.0 /Ita and the
net retum was observed to be Rs 38,562.0 /ha, which was found to be higher than the nontreated
crop suggesting that fertilizer application alone at 200: 100: 200 kg N, P205 and
K20 per hectare could give the highest net- retum of Rs. 75,149.0 per hectare in acid soil
condition of Malepatan.