Effects of Nutrient Sources on the Early Growth of Pineapple Plantlets (Ananas comosus (L) Merr) in the Nursery

Inadequate information on the nutrition of pineapple limits its commercial production in Nigeria. The effects of poultry manure and urea (each at 50 and 100 kg N ha^-1), as well as their 1:1 (organo-mineral) combinations at 50, 100, 150 and 200 kg N ha^-1, on the early (nursery) growth of pineapple plantlets. Organo-mineral fertilization at 100 kg N ha^--1 resulted in the highest D-leaf length, number of leaves, root length and leaf area, while the highest biomass production (approx. 304 g, just within the 300-400 g desirable range for transplanting to the field) was achieved at 150 kg N ha^-1.