Table 1. Field information and cultural practices in the four experiments with cvs Sugarloaf or Smooth Cayenne.
| Field information and cultural practices | Cv. Sugarloaf | Cv. Smooth Cayenne | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Experiment 1 | Experiment 2 | Experiment 3 | Experiment 4 | |
| Location | 06°36'09.2"N and 02°16'31.6"E | 06°37'26.4"N and 02°16'13.1"E | 06°36'43.7"N and 02°19'55.1"E | 06°36'44"N and 02°19'54.3"E |
| Municipality (district) | Zè (Tangbo Djevie) | Zè (Tangbo Djevie) | Abomey-Calavi (Zinvié) | Abomey-Calavi (Zinvié) |
| FAO soil group (common name in Benin) | Ferralsols (Ferralitic soil) | Ferralsols (Ferralitic soil) | Ferralsols (Ferralitic soil) | Ferralsols (Ferralitic soil) |
| Climate | Subequatorial | Subequatorial | Subequatorial | Subequatorial |
| Planting time a | February 2010 | July 2010 | April 2011 | May 2011 |
| Type of planting material used a | Slips | Slips | Hapas and suckers | Hapas and suckers |
| Planting material treatment before planting a | No treatment | No treatment | No treatment | No treatment |
| Planting arrangement | Flat beds of two alternating rows | Flat beds of two alternating rows | Flat beds of two alternating rows | Flat beds of two alternating rows |
| Plant spacing: BP b × BR c /BDR d (cm) | 40 ×50/80 | 35 × 45/65 | 47 × 55/75 | 47 × 55/75 |
| Plant density (plants/m2) | 3.85 | 5.19 | 3.27 | 3.27 |
| First Urea (46N) + NPK (10-20-20) a | 7 MAP e (18 September 2010) | 2 MAP (15 September 2010) | 3 MAP (20 July 2011) | 2 MAP (17 July 2011) |
| Application form | Solid at the base of the plants | Solid at the base of the plants | Solid at the base of the plants | Solid at the base of the plants |
| Dose per plant (g Urea + g NPK) | 6 + 3 | 6 + 3 | 5 + 4 | 5 + 4 |
| Second Urea (46N) + NPK (10-20-20) | Not applied | Not applied | 6 MAP (15 October 2011) | 5 MAP (24 October 2011) |
| Application form | Not applied | Not applied | Solid at the base of the plants | Solid at the base of the plants |
| Dose per plant (g Urea + g NPK) | Not applied | Not applied | 4 + 5 | 4 + 5 |
| NPK (10-20-20) application | 12 MAP (22 February 2011) | 9 MAP (16 April 2011) | Not applied | Not applied |
| Application form | Solid | Solid | Not applied | Not applied |
| Dose per plant (g NPK) | 7 | 7 | Not applied | Not applied |
| K2SO4 (50–18) application | Not applied | Not applied | 10 MAP (8 February 2012) | 9 MAP (17 February 2012) |
| Application form | Not applied | Not applied | Solid at the base of the plants | Solid at the base of the plants |
| Dose per plant (g K 2 SO 4 ) | Not applied | Not applied | 7 | 7 |
| Artificial flowering induction time | 13 MAP (6 March 2011) | 10 MAP (4 May 2011) | 10 MAP (22 February 2012) | 10 MAP (3 March 2012) |
| Weed control | Hand weeding | Hand weeding | Hand weeding | Hand weeding |
a Information gathered from pineapple producer (field owner).
b BP, spacing between plants within a row.
c BR, width between rows.
d BDR, spacing between double rows.
e MAP, months after planting.