Plant morphological diversity of kew and mauritius pineapple eco-types in Sri Lanka

Pineapple is grown in Sri Lanka in diverse agro-ecological zones and has become the most important export fruit crop at present. The two varieties grown in commercial plantations and home gardens are Kew and Mauritius. Expansion of the cultivation into new agro-ecological regions has been identified as priority due to its commercial importance. Selection of eco-types of both varieties is important in identifying potential agro-ecological regions for expansion of cultivation. Thus, varietal development and the adaptability of these varieties are considered a priority. Traditional pineapple growing areas in home gardens and plantations was explored to isolate, identify and characterize different eco-types of pineapple based on plant morphology in order to demonstrate the diversity available for varietal development. Wide diversity in terms of leaf spines, shape of lamina, emergence of suckers, crown weight, length of fruit stalk, presence of nodes in fruit stalk, and slip production was recorded in Kew and Mauritius pineapples cultivated in various agro-ecological regions in Sri Lanka. Kew pineapple populations were more diverse indicating its greater adaptability. This provides a greater opportunity for varietal improvement through selection of suitable eco-types although these eco-types need to be confirmed after identification at a molecular level.