Performance of 'Vitória' pineapple in response to different types of shoots and ages of floral induction

Abstract

Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of shoot types and plant ages for floral induction on the performance of 'Vitória' pineapple (Ananas comosus). The experiment was carried out from April 2015 to December 2016, using shoots of two different classifications (slips of 100 to 200 g and suckers of 201 to 300 g). Artificial floral induction was performed at the eighth, tenth, and twelfth months after planting, and natural induction was also evaluated. Evaluations for vegetative development, phenology, and productivity were performed. A significant interaction was observed between the studied factors for width and area of the “D” leaf. Shoot type did not influence productivity. Natural flowering extended the crop cycle by 617 days. The induction performed at the eighth month anticipated harvest by up to 167 days. Earlier inductions reduced productivity by 58.15% due to the reduction of fruit mass. Naturally induced plants produced larger fruit ranging from 1.0 to 1.2 kg. Inductions from the eighth to the tenth month promote harvesting in more favorable seasons.