This work was carried out between April 1997 and November 1998, with the objective of evaluating the effect of the nitrogen and potassium rates and liming levels on pineapple yield and fruit quality. The treatments consisted of four levels of nitrogen (0; 6; 12 and 18 g/plant of N) in the urea form; four potassium levels (0; 9; 18 and 27 g/plant of K2O) in the form of potassium chloride and two levels of dolomite lime (0 and 1 t/ha). The experimental design was randomized blocks with three replications, being the treatments arranged in split plots (4 x 4 x 2, corresponding to four doses of nitrogen, four potassium levels and two levels of lime). In the plots lime levels were applied and in the subplots combinations of the levels of nitrogen and potassium were applied. Each subplot was composed of 60 plants of cultivar "Pérola", with 32 plants used for sampling ", spaced 90 cm in double arrays, 40 cm between the simple lines and 30 cm between plants in the same line. It was verified that liming didn't influence pineapple production, but it produced a better use of the potassium, with the addition of calcium and magnesium in the soil. The application of urea did not have any effect on the fruit production and weight, in the presence of potassium levels it elevated the yield of the pineapple juice. The potassium addition in the form of potassium chloride increased the production with the level of 22 g/plant of K2O, being expected a maximum production of 79 t/ha of fruits with crown. The diameter and length of the fruit increased with the potassium levels and the acidity of the fruit decreased lineally. The levels of Ca, Mg, N and K, in the leaves increased with application of the lime of the nitrogen and potash fertilizers.
Ananas comosus; fertilization; mineral nutrition; liming and fruit quality
