Objective:
Develop and implement a multi-disciplinary biologically based pest/disease management technologies that are environmentally acceptable and have cost/benefit ratios. Develop and implement a multi-disciplinary based technologies to ensure uniform planting seeds (slips and crowns) to maximize field establishment and to control natural flowering and reduce costs and fruit loss in a cost effective manner. Develop and implement a multi-disciplinary technology to manage fruit quality, minimizing translucency and seasonal variation in fruit quality.

Approach:
The project will utilize traditional breeding techniques and genetic engineering to develop horticulturally acceptable cultivars resistant to major disease, insects and nematodes of Hawaii's pineapple. To couple these breeding approaches to field management strategies appropriate to the new varieties multi-disciplinary biologically based pest/disease management technologies will be developed that ensure a desirable cost-benefit ratio. The project will use a basic understanding of planting material development and physiology to ensure that early field establishments and survival are maximized. The project will utilize field management and genetic engineering approaches and strategies that will enable the industry to minimize potential impact of natural flowering on yield and harvest costs. The project will develop field management strategies that utilize the latest technology to provide a year round consistent supply of high quality fruit that has a minimum of translucency and the most desirable quality. Formerly 5320-22430-021-01G (8/05). Documents SCA with U of HI Manoa.