A NEW FORMULATION FOR THE FLOWERING OF 'MASPINE' PINEAPPLE

A study to determine an ethephon formulation for effective and uniform flowering of ‘Maspine’ pineapple (Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.) was conducted in MARDI Research Station, Kluang, Johor, Malaysia on mineral soil (Renggam Series). The planting material was obtained by quartering stems of mature plants. The plots were irrigated during dry periods and especially during early vegetative and fruit growth. The treatments were ethephon (10.8% a.i.) at 180, 240, 360 and 480 mg L^-1 with 2 or 4% urea (46% N) and with or without 0.5% borax (15.2% B). Percentage flowering of plants forced with 180 mg L^-1 ethephon with 2% urea was 69.9% 45 days after treatment and the addition of 0.5% borax to the solution resulted in 83.3% flowering. When 4% urea was added to a solution containing 180 mg L^-1 ethephon, only 26.6% of plants were forced while 84.4% of plants were forced with 0.5% borax added to the solution. At ethephon concentrations of 240 mg L^-1 and higher, 100% of plants were forced with 2 or 4% urea and without or with borax. It was concluded that 240 mg L^-1 ethephon with 2% urea was sufficient for maximum, uniform flowering of ‘Maspine’. There was no significant effect of ethephon at 240 or 480 mg L^-1 with 2 or 4% urea and with or without 0.5% borax on fruit weight (without crown), fruit length, crown weight or length, core diameter, sugar content, or skin and flesh colour when fruits were harvested at maturation index 3. Fruit shape was cylindrical in all treatments. Conclusively, 240 mg L^-1 ethepon and 2% urea will result in optimum flowering percentage with desirable fruit characteristics and quality for canning.