THE INFLUENCE OF FLOWERING COMPOUNDS ON 'SUGARLOAF' PINEAPPLE (ANANAS COMOSUS (L.) MERR.) IN GHANA

An experiment was conducted to test the effects of flowering compounds applied to 35-, 38-, 42-, and 46-week old Sugarloaf pineapple plants in Ghana. The compounds used were ANAA, BOH, CaC₂ and Ethrel with water as a control treatment. The results may be summarised as follows:

1. The compounds significantly retarded vegetative growth of the pineapple plants. The compounds also had significant effects on the formation of slips and ground suckers, peduncle and crown size and lodging.
2. Whereas flowering of treated plants was induced 35 to 47 days after treatment, the control plants did not flower till after 35 weeks. Consequently forced fruits reached maturity much earlier than control fruit. Forced fruits matured within 24. 5 weeks after treatment as compared with 53. 5 weeks in the control fruits.
3. Effectiveness of CaC₂ and BOH on fruiting was essentially the same in all plots whilst Ethrel and ANAA induced fruiting more effectively in the 35- and 38-week old plants.
4. The compounds reduced fruit size and weight very significantly. Plants treated with other compounds outyielded the Ethrel-treated plants.
5. The quality of forced fruits compared favourably with that of control fruits as measured by total soluble solids percentage. The quality of forced fruits from plants treated at 35- and 38-weeks after planting was, however, hampered by a high incidence of sunburn.
6. CaC₂, BOH and Ethrel are recommended as suitable flowering compounds for forcing pineapple plants in Ghana.