Vegetative growth stages of irrigated 'Perola' pineapple

The objective of the study was to determine the 'Perola' pineapple vegetative growth stages. A randomized block design was used, with four replicates. The fresh and dry matter of all plant components was measured at 1, 173, 248, 291, 354, 424, 488 and 642 days after planting. Vegetative growth of 'Perola' pineapple was divided into five stages based on "D" leaf growth and the corresponding vegetative biomass production (VB) up to the date of floral induction treatment (FIT). In stage V1, the "D" leaf fresh mass averaged 29 g and corresponded to the production of an average of 20% of VB. In stage V2, the "D" leaf fresh mass averaged 43 g, corresponding to the production of 40% of the total VB. The third phenological stage (V3) was characterized by a "D" leaf fresh mass averaging 54 g and VB reached 60% of total production. Stage V4 had a "D" leaf fresh mass of averaging 62 g and VB reached 80% of the total. In stage V5 the "D" leaf fresh mass averaged 68 g, with the VB at flower induction defined as 100%. D-leaf fresh matter can be use to estimate the vegetative biomass of 'Perola' pineapple and the vegetative growth can be divided into five well-defined phenological stages.