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SLIPS THINNING FROM THE PINEAPPLE CV. PÉROLA: 1. PRODUCTION AND FRUIT QUALITY

One of the main characteristics of the pineapple cv. Pérola is the generation of numerous plantlets called slips located at the upper part of the peduncle. The slips develop at the same period of fruit formation. In a commercial plantation of the North Coast region of Bahia State, Brazil, a study was carried out in order to evaluate the effect of slip thinning on vegetative and productive aspects of 'Pérola' pineapple, grown without irrigation. This paper presents the results on yield, fruit weight and quality. In a completely randomized blocks design, with seven replications, were studied six treatments represented by the control (without thinning) and five levels of slips thinning: 1 - all slips removed; 2 - two slips kept on the sunset side; 3 - four slips kept, from top to bottom; 4 - four slips kept, from bottom to top; 5 - six slips kept. By way of analyses of variance and means comparison tests were evaluated the following variables: total soluble solids (TSS), total titrable acidity (TTA), TSS/TAA ratio, fruit length, crown length and weight, yield, fruit number and average weight. The slip thinning did not result in significant statistical differences, but there was a consistent tendency for increasing fruit weight. Slip thinning did not affect fruit quality, with the chemical, physical and physical-chemical characteristics being within the patterns of cultivar Pérola.

Ananas comosus (L.) Merrill; cultural practice; yield


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