The Kerala Agricultural University has established a Pineapple Research Station at Vazhakulam in 1995 to give adequate research support to pineapple cultivation. The main objectives of the Pineapple Research Station are: to develop new varieties in pineapple, standardization of management practices and farm advisory services. This station is undertaking intensive crop improvement works to develop a dual type variety with spineless leaves, yielding medium sized fruit with high sugar content, low acidity and prolonged shelf life for marketing as fresh fruit.

Various approaches like hybridization, utilization of clonal variability and induced mutation in suckers, in vitro culture and hybrid seeds are being adopted to achieve the objective of developing a new variety

Optimum requirement of organic manure and chemical fertilizer in pineapple under various situations like pure crop, inter-crop in coconut and rubber plantations were worked out. All the field tests are undertaken in farmers field with their participation.

The scientists of the Pineapple Research Station are giving advisory services to farmers in all the aspects of pineapple production both in the Station and also by visiting the farmers fields. Technical information on fertilizer dose and application, weed control, pest and disease identification and its control measures, application of growth regulators for uniform flowering, soil feasibility studies etc are rendered to farmers. Laboratory facilities for identification of diseases are extended to the farmers.