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Pineapple is a tropical crop with no true cold dormancy but is sensitive to sub-optimal temperatures below about 15 C. Cold nights around forcing time cause multiple crowns and fasciated fruit; cold nights around ripening cause internal browning (blackheart) and translucent flesh. These are physiological disorders, not diseases, and vary strongly by variety. Regional priority: Moderate to high on highland blocks (>700 m elevation), during cool-season peaks in the subtropics, and during post-harvest cold-chain excursions.

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When pineapple is most vulnerable

  • Forcing (month 12 to 14): 2 or more nights below 18 C triggers multiple crowns in MD2 and Josapine.
  • Fruit development to ripening (month 14 to 22): sustained nights below 15 C cause internal browning that only shows when the fruit is cut open at harvest or after storage.
  • Post-harvest: fruit stored below 7 C for more than a few days develops translucent flesh and blackheart.

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How chilling shows in satellite data

  • Not directly detectable. Chilling injury is internal or morphological.
  • Indirect indicator: minimum-temperature grids for the block during the vulnerability windows.
  • Multiple-crown incidence can be counted on drone imagery at fruit set.

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Field symptoms

  • Multiple crowns on the fruit (2 or more small crowns instead of one central crown)
  • Fasciated (flattened, ribbon-like) crown or fruit
  • Internal browning of ripe flesh (“blackheart”) - only visible when cut
  • Translucent, water-soaked flesh in the lower fruit
  • Off-flavor and reduced sugar in affected fruit
  • Delayed or uneven flowering after cold forcing

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Reduce the damage by

  • Choose the variety for the site - Sarawak and Moris tolerate cool nights better than MD2 and Josapine.
  • Time forcing to avoid the coldest month of the year on your site.
  • Foliar potassium and calcium before forcing improves fruit quality and reduces internal browning.
  • Do not force in weeks with a cold-front forecast.
  • Manage the harvest cold chain - keep fruit above 8 C in transport and storage.
  • Cull fruit at packing if multiple crowns are visible; downgrade to processing rather than fresh export.
  • On highland blocks, plan for a 20 to 25 month cycle rather than 14 to 18.

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Set an alert for early warning

Turn the diagnosis into a trigger. Chilling is a weather event, so build the alert on temperature forecasts, not NDVI.
Recommended settings for chilling on pineapple:
  • Weather alert - minimum temperature forecast below 18 C for 2 or more nights during forcing month.
  • Weather alert - minimum temperature below 15 C for 3 or more nights during fruit development.
  • Cold-chain reminder - schedule fruit-quality checks 2 weeks after any recorded cold event.