Mauritius (Vazhakulam)

KAU's Pineapple Research Station says that Kew, ideal for the processing industry, was the first variety grown there in the 1950s, but that many farmers later switched to Mauritius, which has a shelf life of 15 to 20 days and is in demand as a fresh fruit. KAU recommends it for table use and distant marketing because of its shorter duration, fruit and keeping quality and transportability. KAU says much of the Vazhakulam harvest goes to Mumbai.

KAU puts the fruit at 1.36 to 2.25 kg, and the geographical indication gives an average of 1,300 to 1,600 g. KAU's grading standard is class A above 1,500 g, B from 1,100 to 1,500 g, C from 800 to 1,100 g, D from 550 to 800 g and baby under 550 g. Fruits are packed in bamboo baskets lined with paddy straw, standing on their stumps in the first layer, for 20 to 25 kg a basket. The Cooch Behar trial weighed 1,109 g a fruit, which sits right at the line between classes C and B on this scale.

KAU says partly ripe, healthy, unbruised fruit can be kept for almost 20 days at 10 to 13 degrees C and 85 to 90% humidity, and fruit picked at an early stage of ripening at 7 to 10 degrees C. Below 7 degrees C the fruit suffers chilling injury, so do not put it in a cold room set lower. For a long road journey KAU says to pick fully mature fruit while it is still green, just before the colour changes. Black rot enters through wounds, so KAU advises avoiding injury at harvest and transit.

KAU recommends high-density planting of 53,300 plants/ha in paired rows for pure crops in Kerala, with plants 25 cm apart, rows 60 cm apart and 90 cm between paired rows. Apply 20 to 30 t/ha of farmyard manure at planting and 8:4:8 g of N, P2O5 and K2O per plant a year. Give all the phosphorus at planting, and split the nitrogen and potash into six bimonthly doses, the first two months after planting, except in heavy rain. Spray 0.5% zinc sulphate if crooked-neck zinc deficiency shows.

NHB says Mauritius comes in two types, deep yellow and red-skinned. The yellow fruit is oblong, fibrous and medium sweet compared with the red type, and both have spiny leaf margins and spiny crowns. KAU says Vazhakulam's Mauritius leaves are dark green with a broad red central stripe and red spines on the margins. KAU describes the local Kannara fruit as slightly conical, with deep eyes, crisp golden flesh and juice at 14 to 16 degrees Brix. Ask the nursery which type the suckers came from, and walk the mother field.