FRUIT FOR THOUGHT IS PINEAPPLE THE IDEAL GUAM CROP? By Olympia Terral
The flavor and aroma of tropical fruits provide Guam residents with endless pleasures. As a freshly harvested fruit is enjoyed, we rarely consider the miracles that occurred in order to produce the fruit. The building blocks for the sugars and phytochemicals that enter the manufacturing of a tropical fruit originate in the process of photosynthesis. As the sun’s energy is captured by green plant tissues, this energy is used to drive the process. Pineapple is easy to propagate, requires very little care, and withstands Guam’s devastating typhoons. It is an ideal choice for the island home garden. This unusual plant recently became the subject of The stunning pineapple flower emerges from the center of a mature plant. WPTRC physiology research beuse of available water during photo- level of photosynthesis occurs in cause of the unique characteristics synthesis. the crown, and the lowest level of of how it approaches photosynthephotosynthesis occurs in the original sis. The Guam research resulted in A second unique characteristic plant’s leaves. Photosynthesis in the two publications in 2011. of pineapple is how it constructs leaves of pineapple slips is intermediate. “One common phenomenon Most of Earth’s plants immediately various leaf forms. When a pineapamong plants is that the production use the air’s carbon dioxide to make ple plant produces a fruit, it adds leaves on top of the fruit known as of a fruit tends to increase photosugars such that the entire process synthesis in the original leaves that occurs during daytime. The process “crowns” and immediately below the fruit known as “slips”. This unu- are close to the fruit,” said Marler. causes a lot of water to be lost from sual approach of adding new forms “This did not occur in our pineapthe plant during this prevalent form of leaves means that photosynthesis ple research, probably because of photosynthesis. Pineapple plants to support fruit growth can occur the newly added slips and crowns add a step that captures the air’s in the original plant’s leaves, in the supply the extra food demands that carbon dioxide at night by storing it crown’s leaves, and in the slip’s are required by the plant during the in a temporary acid, only to release leaves. production of a fruit.” it during the following day when For more information contact light energy is available to enable WPTRC scientist Thomas Marler Dr. Thomas Marler at 735-2130 or the production of sugars. This unusual feature leads to highly efficient has determined that the highest tmarler@uguam.uog.edu.
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