Effect of the Agrokin Plus^® hormone on the crop yield of pineapple (Ananas comosus L.) in Cotuí, Dominican Republic

Pineapple (Ananas comosus L.) is one of the most important tropical fruits worldwide from an economic point of view. In Dominican Republic it is an export crop, using the required technologies and appropriate management techniques to satisfy its demand and conserve soil fertility. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of the Agrokin Plus^® hormone on the performance and development of the ‘MD-2’ pineapple crop. A completely randomized design was used, with six treatments (Agrokin Plus^® hormone at the doses 0, 250, 400, 600, 800, and 1,000 mL ha^-1, for T1, T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6, respectively) and four replications. The data were analyzed using the InfoStat (2018) program, with an analysis of variance and a Duncan and Kruskal Wallis mean comparison test at 5%. The increasing dose of the Agrokin Plus^® hormone significantly affected the length and number of leaves plant^-1, the height of the plant (p>0.05), but did not affect the lengths of the peduncle and crown. The dose of the product applied affected the diameter and length of fruits, as well as yield. The results recommend the use of the higher doses studied – 800 and 1.000 mL ha^-1. However, total soluble solids contents tend to reduce, requiring a special attention to the best fruit harvest point.