This study aimed at evaluate the influence of irrigation on the 'Pérola' pineapple cycle. The work was carried out at Embrapa Cassava and Fruits, Cruz das Almas, Bahia, Brazil, in Yellow Distrophic Latosol with moderate A horizon, sandy clay loam texture, a subperennial/subcaducous leaves transition phase of tropical florest typical for Coastal Tableland, a site with an altitude of 220m, an annual rainfall of 1.170mm and an annual average temperature of 24,5 ºC. The experimental design was in randomized blocks and the water laminae applied by sprinkler irrigation, in a "line source" scheme, were 608; 568; 525; 468 and 334mm/year. The effective rainfall was 671mm/year during the experimental period (09/1994 to 12/1995). There was a positive effect of increasing laminae of irrigation on the natural differentiation and the anticipation of the fruit harvest period, resulting in a shortening of the plant cycle, without reduction of fruit weight, in the plots with the highest water laminae. In these plots, more than 70% of the fruits were harvested with a 22 days anticipation in relation to the final harvest. The higher laminae also allowed a less uneven distribution of the fruit harvest over its period.
pineapple; flowering time; natural differentiation; anticipation of the fruit harvest; fruit weight
