Effect of N-fertilizer rates on Dry Matter Yield (DMY) and quality of pinapple propagules ( Ananas comosus) in the acid sands of cross river

Abstract

An experiment was conducted during the rainy seasons in April 2002 and 2003 at Iwuru, Akamkpa, Nigeria, to investigate the effects of N fertilizer rates (0, 150, 300 and 450 kg N/ha through urea) on leaf area index (LAI), dry matter yield (DMY) and crude protein concentration in pineapple (Ananas comosus) suckers and crowns. The results in both years showed that increasing the N fertilizer rate significantly (<0.005) increased LAI in both propagules. On average, a 184% increase in LAI and a further 23.3% increase in LAI were obtained when the N fertilizer rate increased from 150 to 300 kg/ha, and from 300 to 450 kg/ha, respectively, compared with the control (0.0 kg/ha). The protein concentration increased by 16.9 and 20.4%, on average, when the N fertilizer rate increased from 150 to 300 kg/ha, and from 300 to 450 kg/ha, respectively. DMY increased by 36.5% when the N fertilizer rate increased from 150 to 300 kg/ha, and by 42.9% when the N fertilizer rate increased from 300 to 450 kg/ha in 2002; the corresponding increases were 44.7 and 43.1% in 2003.