Abstract:
The pineapple (Ananas comosus var. comosus) is a tropical fruit crop in the family Bromeliaceae.
Commercially pineapple is propagated by vegetative material without new combinations of genes.
Pineapple is self-incompatible and seeds are only produced if cross-pollination occurs among
varieties. The use of sexual reproduction of pineapple is restricted to breeding purposes carried out
for developing new hybrids. This study attempted to investigate the seed setting and pollen viability
of Kew and Mauritius cultivars as a tool for the hybridization process in the pineapple breeding
program at Fruit Research and Development Institute Horana. Results of cross-pollination between
the two varieties indicated that the Mauritius variety produced 04 seeds per floret, whereas the Kew
variety produced 03 seeds per floret. But the median seed setting per floret in the two varieties is
not significantly different. Pollen viability for both cultivars was best around 9 a.m. which was
evaluated from 9.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. using a 1% Acetocarmin test. It steadily decreases from
morning to evening. Both the Kew and the Mauritius types are crossable, as well as Mauritius has
greater seed setting and pollen viability than the Kew. By crossing the Kew and Mauritius cultivars
in the morning, successive pollination and seed set can be achieved.
