Pineapple (Ananas comosus L. Merr.) belongs to the family Bromeliaceae, and is one of the important commercial fruit crop propagated vegetatively. A good source of vitamins A and B, pineapple is fairly rich in vitamins C, calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron. It is also a source of bromelin, a digestive enzyme. At present pineapple is grown commercially in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, West Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka and Goa, and on a small scale in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. India ranked sixth with a share of about 8% of the world production of pineapples.

1. Efficient and rapid multiplication protocol.
2. Production of disease free planting material on a large scale.
3. Production of plants throughout the year irrespective of the season.
4. The technique can be employed for in vitro mutagenesis for inducing the genetic variability for the improvement of this fruit crop.

1. Horticulture sector in general.
2. The technology can be used by plant tissue culture companies.
3. Farmers association and Krishi vigyan Kendra may use the technology for propagation and distribution of plants to end users.

Pineapple (Ananas comosus L. Merr.) belongs to the family Bromeliaceae, and is one of the important commercial fruit crop propagated vegetatively. A good source of vitamins A and B, pineapple is fairly rich in vitamins C, calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron. It is also a source of bromelin, a digestive enzyme. At present pineapple is grown commercially in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, West Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka and Goa, and on a small scale in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. India ranked sixth with a share of about 8% of the world production of pineapples.

Conventionally the average production is 4-5 propagules per year and it takes considerable time to produce enough planting material. Large-scale production of planting material can be achieved by using the plant tissue culture techniques.

A protocol for large-scale multiplication has been established using shoot tip as well as dormant axillary buds from pineapple crowns with a capacity of producing 1000-1200 plants in a year from a single crown. The protocol has been standardised for the establishment of cultures, multiplication, rooting and hardening of the plants in the green house and their field planting

The process involves initiation of cultures from sterilized shoot tips obtained from the parent Pineapple plant, shooting and rooting in the test tube, primary hardening in the laboratory, secondary hardening in the nursery and plating in the field. The protocol developed by BARC is different and a large number of disease free, elite variety plants can be produced using the protocol.

1. Efficient and rapid multiplication protocol.
2. Production of disease free planting material on a large scale.
3. Production of plants throughout the year irrespective of the season.
4. The technique can be employed for in vitro mutagenesis for inducing the genetic variability for the improvement of this fruit crop.

Infrastructural requirements

1. A tissue culture laboratory, A green house or polyhouse facility and an agricultural plot for planting

EQUIPMENTS

1. Standard glassware for media preparation and sterilization equipment like autoclave along with laminar air flow unit, standard laboratory reagents, required for a tissue cultured laboratory

MANPOWER

1. Two technicians preferably trained in a tissue culture laboratory, for laboratory work and other ancillary staff.