Effect of five watering frequencies on growth and yield of various plant parts of container grown Queensland Cayenne pineapples

Abstract

The effect of five watering frequencies (namely, twice weekly, weekly, fortnightly, monthly and 2 monthly) on potted Queensland Cayenne Clone 13 pineapples gave the following responses as frequency was reduced: D leaf length, D leaf weight and thus plant weight reduction within 4 months of planting; a slight reduction in leaf moisture percentage at harvest, at the end of a watering cycle; dry weight reduction of all plant parts (namely, tops, fruit, peduncle, leaves, butt, roots) and thus whole plant dry weight at harvest; a reduction in harvest index (HI); fruit weight was commercially unacceptable for the monthly and 2 monthly waterings even though eye number and thus potential fruit size was unaffected by watering frequency; and leaf area (LA), and dry matter increment (DMI) decreased.