Agroforestry Services: Contour hedgerow  Agroforestry Services: Living fence  Global Fruit Crop  Industrial Crop: Fiber  Management: Standard  Minor Fiber

A plant of the moist, mainly lowland tropics, where it can also be found at elevations up to 1,800 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range of 21 - 30°c, but can tolerate 10 - 36°c[ 418 ]. The plant can be damaged or killed if temperatures drop to 5c for any prolonged period of time, and is killed by even a short period at 0°c[ 418 ]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 800 - 2,500mm, but tolerates 550 - 3,500mm[ 418 ]. Plants can tolerate full sun to fairly dark shade[ 309 ]. Prefers a light, well-drained, humus-rich soil that is on the acid side[ 335 , 352 ]. Prefers a pH in the range 4.5 - 8, tolerating 3.5 - 9[ 418 ]. Established plants are very drought tolerant[ 309 ]. Commercial cultivation is largely limited to latitudes between 25°S - 25°N, but it can also be found to 33°S[ 418 ]. Fruits tend to be smaller and less sweet when grown at higher elevations and most pineapples are grown near the sea in areas with a high atmospheric humidity often on hill slopes[ 418 ]. The plant requires 11 - 36 months from planting until the first crop of fruit. When grown commercially, the plant has an economic life of just 2 - 3 years, though the plant may continue to live and fruit for over 50 years[ 418 ]. The optimum yield is 60 - 80 tonnes/ha for the first harvest; the first ratoon crop yields approximately 10% less; the second ratoon crop is 30% less[ 418 ]. A shallow-rooted plant[ 352 ]. Individual plants are self-sterile, but sexual fertilization is unnecessary because fruit is produced parthenocarpically[ 335 ]. There are many named varieties[ 296 ]. Suitable for growing indoors.

Carbon Farming

• Agroforestry Services: Contour hedgerow  Alley cropping systems on the contour of slopes.
• Agroforestry Services: Living fence  Simply managed rows of shrubs and trees.
• Global Fruit Crop  These crops are already grown or traded around the world. The annual value of each is more than $1 billion US.
• Industrial Crop: Fiber  Clothing, rugs, sheets, blankets etc. Currently, almost none of our fiber are produced from perennial crops but could be!
• Management: Standard  Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
• Minor Fiber  These crops are already grown or traded around the world, but on a smaller scale than the global perennial staple and industrial crops, The annual value of a minor global crop is under $1 billion US. Examples include shea, carob, Brazil nuts and fibers such as ramie and sisal.