Strategies of fertilizer application for ornamental pineapple plants grown in pots under anti-aphid screen¹

Estratégias de adubação para plantas envasadas de abacaxizeiro ornamental cultivadas em telado antiafídeo

ABSTRACT

Production of ornamental pineapple plants in pots is a recent mode of growing pineapple that demands information on application of soil mineral fertilizers to compose the production system. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of five strategies of application of soil mineral fertilizer on the vegetative and reproductive growths of potted ornamental pineapple plants. The experiment was conducted under an anti-aphid screen, from June 17, 2015 to May 21, 2016, in Fortaleza, Ceará state, Brazil. A completely randomized design with six treatments and four replicates was used, consisted of four plants per plot. The treatments consisted of application of a slow-release fertilizer; conventional soil fertilizer application; fertigation at every 30, 60, and 90 days; and no soil fertilizer application (control). The plants were grown in 1 L pots and irrigated using a drip system every two days. The variables evaluated were: number of leaves; ‘D’ leaf length and width; shoot apex diameter; plant height; flowering rate; length and diameter of peduncle, syncarp, and crown; crown to syncarp ratio; and percentage of marketable plants. Despite the different plant growth, all strategies of soil fertilizer application used can be recommended for ornamental pineapple plants, since they do not hinder the esthetic quality and dimensions required for marketing these plants in pots. Pineapple production without application of soil fertilizers should be avoided, since it reduces the percentage of marketable plants.

Key words:
Ananas comosus var. erectifolius; ornamental plants; fertigation