Physiological and biochemical changes associated with 'marbled' disease in pineapple fruit

摘要

Pineapple is considered to be an important fruit crop in the world and for the past ten years it is widely cultivated in different parts of Kerala as a money yielding crop. Two important varieties grown by farmers of Kerala are Kew and Mauritius. In recent years, the variety Kew is found to be affected by 'Marbled disease', which is called as 'Karimkuthu' disease by farmers of Kerala. Paul et al. (9) reported that the disease is caused by the bacteria Erwinia herbicola var. ananus and the disease makes its appearance during Monsoon season, when heavy rainfall is followed after a hot summer. The affected fruit are very large in size and the symptoms are visible only when they are cut open. The marbling appearance of fruit include dark brown discolouration of fruit tissue, which become hardened, brittle and speckled with colour variations. The present investigation deals with the various physiological and biochemical changes in association with the 'marbled' disease in pineapple.