Treatments with Calcium, Magnesium and Boron to avoid sunburn incidence in pineapple

Pineapple has been identified as a new source of wealth and occupies third place in the world tropical fruits production after bananas and mangos respectively. Pineapple variety MD2 now is the most popular variety where it is being traded globally and occupied 50%-55% of world market mainly due to its excellent taste, sweetness, attractive golden flesh, golden skin color, lifespan, ripeness and its perfect cylindrical shape. While the pineapple industry is growing rapidly, post-harvest losses seems to be one of factors slowing it down and sunburn incidence are one of them. In Malaysia, during strong sunlight time often leads to severe fruit sunburn incidence rate up to 50%. An experiment has been conducted at Kluang, Johor (3rd Agro-climatic zone) which is preharvest treatment using chemical; - T1 (water only), - T2 (Calcium foliar), - T3 (Boron foliar) and - T4 (Calcium+Magnesium+Boron mixed foliar). Results show that, T4 is the best treatment which only 2% sunburn incidence rate with highest fruit total soluble solids (TSS) score 22?brix and 2,302 grams total fruit weight followed by T2, T3 and T1 with the results 15% sunburn incidence with 20?brix and 2,093 grams total weight fruit, 25% sunburn incidence with 19?Brix and 1,719 total fruit weight, and lastly 50% sunburn incidence with 17?Brix and 1,614 grams total fruit weight respectively. Therefore, pre-harvest treatment using chemical foliar mixture of Calcium, Magnesium and Boron are suggested but further research have to be conducted at different agroclimatic zone to confirm that this treatment can be apply to every agro-climatic zone in Malaysia. ? SourcesReducing sunburn incidence in MD2 pineapple using chemical pre-harvest treatment to overcome post-harvest losses in MalaysiaNorsyuhaida Ahmad Shafawi, Azaini Azmi, Zatul-Iffah Zain, Salwani Ab Azid,?Mohd Fareez Abu,?Noor Syahira Nasarudin,?Razali Mustaffa,?Joanna Cho Lee Ying,?Noorashikin Isahak & Riyadhthusollehin KhairulfuaadInternational Journal of Agriculture, Forestry and Plantation, Vol. 10 (Sept 2020)https://ijafp.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/KLIAFP10_022.pdfPicture by?http://lettucefarm.blogspot.com/2012/06/opportunity-for-learning-experience.html ?