Pineapple breeding at Cirad : I. Evaluation and selection of "Smooth Cayenne" x "Manzana" hybrids

Around 1990, 700 preselected 'Smooth Cayenne' x 'Manzana' hybrid clones were transferred from the breeding program in Côte d'Ivoire to Martinique, where a general objective of diversification and specialisation was emphasised, selecting either for the fresh fruit market or for processing. First evaluations, conducted along with multiplication, allowed to discard many clones on the basis of major defects, such as insufficient vigour, multiple crowns, fruit fasciations, recurrent spininess, fruit and fruitlet shape defects, fruit size and lodging, collar-of-slips and knobs, and pulp taste and quality. The remaining 205 clones were evaluated in 20 plant-plots, and compared with 'Smooth Cayenne' and an elite clone that was identified early in the selection process. Most of them showed good vigour and a shorter cultivation cycle, with high sugar content. However variation was still very important and many unfavourable traits were still observed. Twenty-nine clones presenting interesting character combination were selected. They generally showed good vegetative vigour and productivity with good yield and earlier fruiting than 'Smooth Cayenne'. Slip production was reduced by selection while suckering was comparable to that of 'Smooth Cayenne'. Shell and flesh maturation is uniform within the fruit. External colour is highly variable. Gustative quality has been improved in most hybrids, as their sugar content is higher than in 'Smooth Cayenne', while acidity is lower or equivalent. Ascorbic acid is also higher, with a wide variation, up to three or four times the values observed for 'Smooth Cayenne'. Hybrids often produce heavy fruits on long peduncles, which makes them susceptible to lodging. Most hybrids are susceptible to Penicillium funiculosum. (Résumé d'auteur)