EFFECT OF SPACING AND MULCHING ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF PINEAPPLE (ANANAS COMOSUS (L.) MERR) IN AKURE, SOUTH WEST, NIGERIA

Abstract

Field experiment was conducted during 2017 and 2018 cropping season at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Federal University of Technology Akure, Ondo State, South West, Nigeria to determine the effects of spacing on the growth and yield of pineapple and identify mulching material most suitable for the control of weeds in pineapple orchards. The experiment was a 4 x 4 factorial scheme laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The mulch materials used for the experiment were polyethylene plastic mulch (PM), sawdust/wood shaving (SD), oil palm fruit bunch residue (PR) and no mulching (Control) (NM) while plant spacing used were (60 cm x 30 cm x 90 cm, 60 cm x 45 cm x 90 cm, 60 cm x 50 cm x 90 cm and 60 cm x 60 cm x 90 cm). Data were collected on plant height (cm), number of leaves, length of E leaves (cm), width of E leaves (cm), number of weeds, weeds dry weight (g), fruit weight (g), fruit breadth (cm) and fruit length (cm). The data were subjected to Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and means were separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at 5% probability. Results from the analysis of variance revealed that significant differences were observed among the mulch materials and spacings (p≤ 0.05) within and the interactions for plant height, number of leaves, number of weeds, weeds dry weight, fruit weight, fruit breadth and fruit length respectively. Pineapple treated with polyethylene plastic mulch had the highest height (40.63 cm) at 7 months after planting and differed significantly (p<0.05) from oil palm bunch refuse and sawdust (37.17 cm, 36.42 cm) respectively while no mulching had the least height (32.23 cm). Polyethylene plastic had the highest number of leaves (41.66) at 7 months after planting while no mulching had the least number of leaves (36.76). Significant differences (p<0.05) was observed at 7 months after planting with polyethylene plastic mulch had the highest length of E leaves (55.90 cm) while no mulching recorded the least (49.95 cm). Polyethylene plastic mulch had the highest width of E leaves (5.61 cm) while no mulching had the least (5.23 cm). Spacing (30 x 60 x 90 cm) had the highest height (38.83 cm) at 7 months after planting while spacing (50 x 60 x 90 cm) had the least (33.88 cm) At 7 months of planting, treatment spacing (30 x 60 x 90 cm) had the highest number of leaves (38.54) while (50 x 60 x 90 cm) recorded the least (32.35 cm). At 7 months of planting, (30 x 60 x 90 cm) had the highest length of E leaves (53.75 cm) while (60 x 60 x 90 cm) recorded the least (50.94 cm). At 7 months of planting, (45 x 60 x 90 cm) had the highest width of E leaves (5.48 cm) while (60 x 60 x 90 cm) had the least (5.33 cm). At 7 months of planting polyethylene plastic mulch (60 x 60 x 90 cm) and oil palm bunch refuse (30 x 60 x 90 cm) had the highest height (47.50 cm, 45.42 cm) respectively while oil palm bunch refuse (60 x 60 x 90 cm) had the least (27.92 cm). At 7 months of planting, it was observed that sawdust (30 x 60 x 90 cm) had the highest number of leaves (43.00) followed by oil palm bunch refuse (30 x 60 x 90 cm) 42.92 while no mulching (60 x 60 x 90 cm) had the least (27.00). At 7 months of planting, polyethylene plastic mulch (60 x 60 x 90 cm) had the highest length (63.63 cm) while no mulching (50 x 60 x 90 cm) had the least (45.08 cm). At 7 months of planting, polyethylene plastic mulch (50 x 60 x 90 cm) had the highest width (6.03 cm) while no mulching (50 x 60 cm) had the least (5.00 cm). At 9 months after planting, significant differences were observed among the treatments with no mulching had the highest weed density (49.17) while polyethylene plastic mulch and sawdust recorded the least number of weeds count (8.83, 13.17) respectively. At 9 months after planting, significant differences were observed among the treatments with no mulching recorded highest weed dry weight (59.67 g) while polyethylene plastic mulch recorded the least (18.58 g). At 9 months of planting, (60 x 60 x 90 cm) had the highest number of weeds count (26.33 cm) while (30 x 60 x 90 cm) recorded the least (22.25 cm). At 9 months of planting, (60 x 60 x 90 cm) had the highest weeds dry weight (42.08 g) while (45 x 60 x 90 cm) recorded the least (30.00 g). However, polyethylene plastic mulch were significantly different (P<0.05) with highest fruit length (26.33 cm) while no mulching recorded the least (16.33 cm). The highest fruit breadth (21.08 cm) was recorded in (60 x 60 x 90 cm) while (45 x 60 x 90 cm) recorded the least fruit breadth (19.08 cm). Spacings (30 x 60 x 90 cm), (45 x 60 x 90 cm) and (50 x 60 x 90 cm) were not significantly different (P<0.05) in fruit length but (60 x 60 x 90 cm) recorded the highest (40.00 cm). At 9 months after planting, no significant different (p<0.05) were observed among the treatments with polyethylene plastic mulch (30 x 60 x 90) had the least number of weeds (6.00) while no mulching (50 x 60 x 90 cm) recorded the highest (50.33). At 6 months after planting, polyethylene plastic mulch significantly suppressed weed at (30 x 60 x 90 cm, 45 x 60 x 90 cm, 50 x 60 x 90 cm and 60 x 60 x 90 cm) respectively while no mulching (45 x 60 x 90 cm) recorded the highest dry weight of weeds (72.00 g). However, at 9 months after planting, significant differences (p<0.05) were observed among the treatments with polyethylene plastic mulch (30 x 60 x 90) had the least dry weight of weeds (12.00 g) while no mulching (60 x 60 x 90 cm) recorded the highest (70.00 g). Polyethylene plastic mulch (50 x 60 x 90 cm, 60 x 60 x 90 cm) had the highest fruit length (27.33 cm) while no mulching (30 x 60 x 90 cm) recorded the lowest fruit length (15.33 cm). However, significant differences (p<0.05) were observed in fruit breadth with polyethylene plastic mulch (60 x 60 x 90) had the highest (44.00 cm) while no mulching, sawdust (30 x 60 x 90 cm) recorded the least (34.00 cm).