Production time in pineapple in the state of Paraiba

Abstract

The present work was carried out to determine the influence of floral induction in pineapple (Ananas comosus (L.) Merrill), in different ages, on the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of fruit. Two experiments were conducted in Mari (March/1978 to December/1979) and Sapé (March/1979 to December/1980) in the State of Paraiba, Brazil. At both sites the soils are Red-Yellow Podzols. The planting material was 500 g ± 10% suckers of Ananas comosus, (L.) Merril, cv. Smooth Cayenne. Five different periods of floral induction were studied at a two-month interval starting from the eighth month after planting. The results obtained showed that havier fruits were formed from late floral inductions, being also favored by heavier rainfall during the flowering period. Under higher temperature and low rainfall conditions during flowering, fasciation in fruit was more frequent. Late formed fruits presented higher incidence of Fusarium moniliforme var. subglutinans and of Thecla basilides under high and low rainfall periods, respectively. The fruit formed under the rainy period had higher content of brix, independently of age of the plant during the induction, while acidity was greater in early formed fruits.