The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-11-22
fault IN
PLANTING
Experts Remedy
for Pineapple
Blight.
'TANGLE ROOT IN
HAWAIIAN PLANTS
Jared Smith Receives Report From
Bureau Of Plant Culture at
Washington.

Mistakes in methods of planting are
the causes of blight which has been af-
fecting pineapple cultivation in Hawaii
recently. Jared Smith received a re-
port yesterday from the Department of
Agriculture upon some pineapple speci-
mems sent to Washington about six
weeks ago. The diseased pineapples in
question came from Pearl City, but all
over the islands the growth has been
similarly affected, though no material
damage has as yet resulted. The dis
ease is somewhat in the nature of a
blight, and does not spread to whole
field Of the plants, affecting pineapple
only here and there.
II. j. Weber. who is in charge OF the
plant breeding laboratory at Washing
ton, in his communication to Director
Smith. gives some advice in regard to
pineapple cultivation which will be of
great value to the growers of the fruit
here. Mr.. Weber expresses a keen in
terest in Hawaiian agriculture and ex-
presses willingness to assist in every
way possible. the efforts of Mr.. Smith.
He refers to the disease as "tangle
root" and says that the Hawaiian prod
uct shows symptoms of the blight and
suggests an easy remedy. The letter In
so far as it refers to the pineapple is
as follows:
Mr.. J. G. Smith. Hawaii Experiment
| Station, Honolulu, II. l.:
| Dear Mr.. Smith:-Mr. Woods has hand
ed me some diseased pineapples which
you sent in for examination. The trou-
bic in this case seems to be due to the
] malady which we have termed "tangle-
root" figure of which was given in
paper of mine in the Year Book for 1895.
This condition of the pineapple, where
the roots are DETECTED by the subtending
leaves and grew around the stock in
stead of into the soil, is an accompani-
ment of pineapple blight and seems to
be a symptom OF that disease.
1t is in many cases without question
due to improper preparation of the slips
In planting, and judging from the plant
you sent, it is the case in this instance.
The specimens are of the Smooth Cay
enne variety. 1 notice. on a careful ex-
animation of the bases of the plants,
that they seem not to have been prop
erly trimmed In Planting, or to have
been left in connection with the old
plants.
In planting pineapple slips or suckers
the basal leaves should be pruned down
considerably, that Is. the leaves should
be pulled off. and when one reaches the
soft tissue of the base careful cross |
section should be made with knife, as
in preparing cuttings Of peaches or |
pears, leaving n smooth surface from !
which the roots will push out easily. The !
plants you sent seem never to have been I
put in the SOIL but had been simply al |
lowed to sucker from the bases of the |
old plants and remain without replant- |
ing. If fields of pineapples are allowed |
to reproduce themselves, it IS necessary |
afty1I
and pull off the suckers located above |
the ground. leaving only what are called !
''rattoons." that is those suckers which !
spring out from the base of the old /
plants below the SOIL so that the roots
when developed will be pushed out into |
the surrounding soil.
While il is impossible al this distance
for Us to be certain that the disease in |
your case IS due to improper manipula
ton In planting, etc, / am inclined to
think that this is the case. OF course, /
it mag he that you have the regular ne
apple blight out there, and that the
blight IS associated with tangle root in
Hawaii.
/ have found by careful microscopic
examination in the field that plants af-
fected with blight almost invariably
show a fine mycelium in connection with /
the small roots, which gains entrance
through the root hairs, grows into the
small roots and thence into the main
stem of the plant. 1t seems to be close
~ related to the Fusarium disease which
Doctor Smith has described. Whether
this fungus induces the malady, how
ever can be determined only by careful
which have not been made.
II anything of this nature comes up at
any time. we would of course be glad to
hear from you and give you whatever
we can.
II. J. WEBER.
In Charge of Plant Breeding Laboratory. |