Effect of Strain Age and Substrate on the Production of Pineapple (Ananas comosus L.) Extra Sweet (Md2) Vivo Plants in Greenhouse

Pineapple has several types of organs that can be used for its multiplication. Its natural multiplication is particularly slow, as it is necessarily vegetative because the species is self-sterile (on average 2 suckers per strain in six months). The supply of pineapple rejects is not always easy for those who want to grow pineapple on large areas. This study was initiated to improve the production of MD2 pineapple seed (suckers or vivo plant) per pineapple strain fragment. Thus, the production of two types of pineapple strains, young and old strains (The young strains bear green leaves and make up all the strains that have produced fruit. Their ages range from 0 to 12 months after the fruit has been harvested. The old strains without green leaves are older than 12 months of age), was evaluated on three types of substrates, namely : S1, 100% coarse coconut fibre; S2, 2/3 coarse coconut fibre + 1/3 sawdust and S3, 3/4 coarse coconut fibre + 1/4 chicken droppings. The seeding of the fragments on the substrates it's made in a completely randomized device in a greenhouse. The study carried out was repeated twice during the same period. Results showed that vivo plant production varied according to the age of the pineapple strain. With fragments of young strains, a mean of 3.96 ±1.74 (average ± Ecart-type) vivo plants per fragment was obtained compared to 3.07±1.63 (average ± Ecart-type) vivo plants at fragments of old strains. This difference was significant with P = 0.000. The effect of substrate was significant on the number of plants produced per strain fragment. More plants per fragment were obtained on S2 with 3.53±1.1 (average ± Ecart-type) vivo plants than on the other substrate types S1 and S3 with 3.22±1.3 and 3.09±1.02 (average ± Ecart-type) vivo plants per strain fragment, respectively. This difference was significant with P= 0.002. This study showed that a strain fragment after fragmentation gives only 3.96 ± 1.74 plants in six months. This production of pineapple vivo plants is influenced by the type of substrate and the age of the strain. Thus, young strains grown on a substrate that maintains moisture should be recommended for sustainable production of pineapple vivo plants.