The main obstacle to the Brazilian pineapple crop is the lack of high quality seedlings in a proper quantity. The achievement of plants free of pests and diseases is possible through tissue culture. However, these plants need a period of acclimatization. The aim of this study was to verify the effect of different substrates and doses of controlled-release fertilizer on the development and nutrition of micropropagated pineapple during the acclimatization. The experimental design was randomized blocks with three substrates (1- surface soil; 2- composting of sugarcane pulp and filter cake and 3- a substrate composed (soil + sand + Plantmax®)) and 5 doses of Osmocote®: 0, 10, 20, 25 and 30 g.plant-1, with four blocks. The substrate that provided the highest amounts of N, P and K in plants was the composite of sugarcane pulp and filter cake. The Osmocote ® provided an increase in the plant lengtht, in the number of leaves and in the dry weight of shoot. High doses of Osmocote ® caused a pH reduction of substrates and an accumulation of nutrients, making it toxic to plants.
Ananas comosus; nutrition; micropropagation
