| Summary: | Pineapple residue in Malaysia is usually burnt. The need for sustainable agricultural development coupled with the 1997 haze problem in Southeast Asia has led to the calls for "zero burning". A study was initiated at Simpang Renggam Pineapple Estate, Johore to quantify P and K uptake in pineapple parts and to also compare the efficiency of P and K uptake for burn and no-burn practices. At maturity (sixteen months after planting), three plants were sampled from each treatment and partitioned into roots, stem, leaves, fruit, peduncle and crown, and their dry weight, P and K concerntrations determined. Irrespective of treatment difference, P uptake was highest in the fruit, followed by the leaves, stem, crown and roots. The order of K was fruit, stem, peduncle, crown and roots. Between 66 and 58% of the total P and K taken up is recycled and the rest (42 and 34%) is lost through harvest. In situ burning of pineapple leaves before planting does not improve P and K uptake and yield. Major difference in P efficiency for butn (51.60%) and no-burn (53.21%) under fertilized was not observed.
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