Efficacy of different inductants on the flowering, yield and fruit quality of Josapine pineapple on peat soil

M. Mohammed Selamat , R. Masaud, M.N. Zahariah, A.M. Fatkhiah, Y. Md. Noor and I. Abdul Hamid

Abstract

Pineapple plants flower erratically. Therefore, it is important to induce the plants into producing flowers and fruits. Differential responses to flower induction have been reported when different chemical inductants were used. Pineapple grown on different environments may also response differently to flower induction. The effect of six different treatments of chemical inductants on the flowering, yield and fruit qualities of pineapple fruits was studied on nine-monthold Josapine pineapple plants grown on deep peat soil. At 33 days after induction, plants induced with ethephon had significantly higher flowering percentages compared to those treated with alpha naphthalene acetic acid (ANA) and calcium carbide. At 40 days after induction, almost all plants treated with ethephon had flowered. Plants treated with ANA had 75% flowering while those treated with calcium carbide had 93% flowering. Plants treated with a mixture of ANA and ethephon had 91% flowering. The progression of flowering in each treatment followed different pattern throughout the eight days of observation. The implication of the flowering as affected by the treatments was discussed in relation to the influence on the overall management of the harvested fruits. Results on fruit qualities indicated most of the parameters measured were not affected by the treatments applied. Only fruit diameters and the index of fruit ripeness during harvesting were significantly affected by the treatments. Estimated yield per hectare was significantly affected by the treatments. Plots treated with ethephon have significantly higher yield compared to those treated with ANA.

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