The high level of heterozygosis of parentals used to generate pineapple hybrids has resulted in low efficiency of the pineapple breeding program in conduction at Embrapa Cassava and Fruit Crops. On the other hand, the effects of self fertilization are not well known on pineapple, however this strategy may lead to significant advances in the improvement of that crop. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of self pollination in pineapple cultivars. Inflorescences of the cultivars Primavera, Perolera, Roxo-de-Tefé, Pérola and Smooth Cayenne were covered before anthesis in order to promote self fertilization. The resulting seeds were transferred to Petri dishes containing MS medium supplemented with 30 g.L-1 for germination and incubed in growth chamber. During germination it was observed that 16% of the seeds from 'Roxo-de-Tefe' generated albino plantlets. Forty three plants from 'Primavera', five from 'Perolera', eleven from 'Roxo-de-Tefé' and none from 'Pérola' and 'Smooth Cayenne' were obtained. All plants from Primavera presented spineless leaf margin (piping type), suggesting homozygosis for that characteristics, while in the 'Perolera" progeny three plants showed spineless leaf margin and two showed spiny leaves, showing segregation for the character presence of spine. Regarding to 'Roxo-de-Tefé' progeny, eight plants showed violet colored leaves and three with green colored leaves, expressing segregation for leaf color, but all leaves were spiny. The low percentage of germination, slow growth rate and low vigor observed in plants kept under greenhouse conditions as well as nursery, indicate the occurrence of depression by endogamy during these developmental phases.
Ananas comosus (L.) Merril; breeding; segregation; homozygosis
