Effects of Nitrogen on Chlorophyll, Acidity, Ascorbic Acid, and Carbohydrate Fractions of Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.

Well-authenticated information on pineapple plant response to niitrogen constitutes a valuable criterion in commercial fertilizer practices because the amounts and time of their application are determined by the physical appearance of the plants, designated as plant status, as well as by chemical analyses of their tissues. Besides nutrition, physical factors such as light, temperature, and moisture may also influence the appearance or status of plants as measured by the chlorophyll content, succulence; and texture of the leaves. Under greenhouse conditions light was approximately 30% lower and temperature from three,to five degrees higher than in the open. Data presented in a previous publication (26) showed that growth and intake of nutrient mineral elements by A. comosus grown in nutrient solutions under greenhouse conditions increased more with high than with low amounts of nitrogen. Data for the same plants on dry matter, chlorophyll, titrable acidity, ascorbic acid, and various carbohydrate fractions are presented below. Methods