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An experiment was conducted to determine the response of four sea water treatments on an improved pineapple genotype “N- 36” grown in Beach Ridges Interspersed with Swales (BRIS) soil. Sea water treatments were prepared by substitution of K with Na ions i.e., 0% (in control), 15%, 30% and 60% of required K doses were replaced by Na ions from sea water. Treatment effects were non-significant up to 30% sodium replacement from sea water. Na replacement (60%) showed significant impact on different growth parameters at different stages (8-10 months after planting). However, the fruit yield, the final target of crop harvest was not adversely affected at significance level. Therefore, sea water irrigation can easily fulfil 60% dose of potassium fertilizer by sodium ions for the production of pineapple in BRIS soil.

The BRIS (Beach Ridges Interspersed with Swales) soils are the sandy marine deposits at the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The area is less suitable for usual field crops. Pineapple (Ananas comosus) may be introduced in the area for commercial cultivation. An experiment was conducted in the glass house condition of UPM. Pineapple plants were nurtured in the lysimeters, filled with BRIS soil, to assess the water requirements at different growth stages. Highest requirement of irrigation water was found 2.43 mm/day in initial stage (1). Subsequent development stage (2), mid-stage (3) and ripening stage (4) required smaller amount of irrigation water (approximately 1.55 mm/day). The daily average evapotranspiration (ETc) was 0.83 mm/day in Stage 1, followed by 0.73 mm/day in Stage 2. The lowest ETc was found 0.65 mm/day in Stage 3. The estimated crop coefficient (K ) was found maximum 0.51 in initial stage. The Kc values showed a continuous decreasing trend up harvesting time. The second highest Kc value was 0.37 in development stage followed by 0.33 in mid-stage and minimum 0.30 during ripening stage.

Pineapple is one of the most traded tropical fruit in Malaysia; mostly planted on peat soil. However, Malaysia has a vast area of sandy fallow beach ridges interspersed swales (BRIS) soil. Due to lack of cultivable land, increasing populations, and urge to improve the standard of living of inhabitants of in this area, there is a need to develop a viable commercial-oriented agriculture. Therefore, the objectives of the study were to estimate the crop water requirements, water distribution patterns, and K substitution with Na from seawater for cultivation of pineapple on BRIS soil. A series of experiments including soil temperature, water distribution, and crop water requirements of the BRIS soil were determined in the glasshouse and field. Water distribution patterns were determined using water application rates of 2, 4, and 8 l/h emitters at different times of duration using a specially designed apparatus. Crop water requirements of „N-36‟ of pineapple were estimated by planting of different stages of plants on the lysimeters and using the CROPWAT model. Pineapple stages were adjusted according to their length of growth on the lysimeters and in the model. The estimated crop water requirements was applied in the field at BRIS soil area,Terengganu using Na from seawater for substitution of K requirements of pineapple (based on 300 kg K ha-1) at 15, 30, and 60% in comparison to the control (100% K) using fertigation techniques for 4 months with irrigation water. Pineapple growth, development, and yield were measured. With the exception in the morning, the topsoil temperature of BRIS soil was higher than the subsoil. The temperature gradually increased from 08:00 up to 14:00 hr of a day then decreased. On normal soil temperature and heated soil, the shape of water distribution of the wetted fronts was spherical or ellipsoidal. The higher discharge rate in short duration, the lateral movement was more as compared with the vertical movement. But the opposite was observed