EFFECTS OF FERTILIZERS ON FRUIT LENGTH AND YIELD OF RATOON SMOOTH CAYENNE PINEAPPLE CROP IN SIERRA LEONE

The effects of a recommended fertilizer mixture, supplemented by different rates of N on total fruit yield and length of ratoon Smooth Cayenne pinepple crop in Sierra Leone were studied in 2 experiments with previous different fertilizer practices on the plant crop. None of the treatments had any significant effect on mean fruit weight, mean fruit length and mean total yield. However, the non-significant yield increases produced by the recommended fertilizer mixture and the lower range of N rates in the 2 experiments were markedly profitable on the basis of value/cost ratio. Depending on the previous different fertilizer practices on plant crops in the 2 experiments, 2 fertilizer practices for ratoon pineapple crops have evolved in Sierra Leone. Ratoon pineapple crop yields could be higher than plant crop yields, depending upon the previous fertilizer practices on the plant crop and the type and quality of fertilizers applied to the ratoon crops.