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Nutrient Composition and Growth of Pineapple and Coconut Intercrops as Influenced by Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium.
Thesis Abstract:
Experiments were conducted to determine the effects of NPK levels on the growth and nutrient composition of pineapple intercrop and on the nutrient contents, growth and yield of coconut. The study involved a 50 to 60 years old coconut plantation with Macolod clay loam soil in Calauan, Laguna.
One-year observation showed that increasing amounts of NPK improved the health, vigor and number of leaves of the pineapple intercrop. On the other hand, NPK fertilization did not improve the growth and yield of coconut.
Increased NPK levels produced a significant increase in N concentration, a significant decrease in P content and a slight decrease in K percentage in pineapple leaves. NPK concentration in the pineapple leaves differes significantly among periods of leaf sampling.
Despite forced flowering with the use of calcium carbide, pineapple plants treated with the highest fertilizer level flowered eight days later than the control. This delay in flowering could be due to the high level of N in the tissue.
N concentration in leaves and meat were slightly-higher in coconuts fertilized with higher rates of NPK. P and K percentages in all tissues analyzed were not significantly influenced by NPK fertilization. Neither were the sampling periods consistently affected by the NPK concentration in the tissues.
Continuous observation were being made to assess the long-term effects of NPK fertilization on pineapple yield as well as on the growth, nutrient composition and yiels of coconut.