Effect of plant harvest period on chemical composition of pineapple leaves

Abstract

With the objective of selecting better periods of pinneapple plant (Ananas comosus L.) harvesting for obtaining leaves for animal feed utilization, the weight of leaves, as well as their starch, total sugars, celullose, hemycelulose, lignin, protein and phenolics contents derived from plants harvested at 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 days after fruit harvest during January to June 1986 and May to October 1986 periods, were determined. It was concluded that: a) Weight of leaves as well as their protein, total sugar and phenolics contents decreased, and starch, celullose hemycelullose and lignin contents increased during the fruit post-harvest period. b) To obtain the highest values of leaf weights and protein content and the lowest fiber contents, the plants must be harvested at fruit harvest (0 day). c) The leaves at January to May harvest period presented better chemical composition than leaves of May to October harvest period.