Sprouting, development and nutritional composition of pineapple plantlets from axillary buds subjected to brassinosteroid

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of doses of brassinosteroid in the sprouting, initial development and nutritional composition of plantlets from axillary buds of stem sections of pineapple ‘Smooth Cayenne’. The experiment was conducted in randomized block design with four levels of brassinosteroid (0, 0.5, 0.75 and 1.0 mg L-1), with four replications and the experimental unit composed of eight sections. Three months after planting sections the shoots were harvested, and evaluated as: the number of sprouted buds, length, diameter, number of leaves, fresh weight aerial part and radicular system and nutritional content of plants. The brassinosteroid yielded positive effects on the development of axillary buds from the section stems of pineapple and proved efficiency in breaking dormancy of buds. Besides providing an increase in the length, diameter, number of leaves, fresh weight and dry weight of the aerial parts of the shoots issued. The brassinosteroid provided no effect on the nutritional status of the shoot sucker issued, except for calcium where the dose of 1.0 mg L-1 resulted in higher content of this nutrient.