EFFECT OF PACLOBUTRAZOL, THIOUREA, AND PENDIMETHALIN ALONE OR IN COMBINATION ON THE INDUCTION OF SUCKERING IN PINEAPPLE

The objective of the study was to induce more suckers on newly harvested plant-crop pineapple (Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.) plants. Paclobutrazol (2RS,3RS-1-(4-chlorophenyl)-4,4-dimethyl-2-(1H-1,2,4-triazol(1-yl)pentan-3-ol) at a concentration of 50 ppm in a volume of 4 000 L ha^-1 produced a greater than 25% increase in sucker number. A combination of 25 ppm paclobutrazol with 500 ppm thiourea or 375 ppm pendimethalin (3,4-dimethyl-2,6-dinitro-N-1-ethyl propyl aniline) produced more suckers than paclobutrazol alone at either 25 or 50 ppm. the increased number of ground suckers is interesting and desirable. Induced suckers usually were rather stumpy with a greater weight. Efficacy of the chemicals was influenced by season.