Abstract
Embrapa Cassava and Fruits has developed ornamental pineapple hybrids for several categories of ornamental use including cut flowers, potted plants and landscaping. The objective of this study was to carry out a clonal evaluation of two ornamental hybrids using quantitative and qualitative morphological descriptors to recommend these hybrids as new ornamental pineapple cultivars. Twenty plants of each hybrid (PL01 and PL04) were evaluated regarding the response to floral induction as well as the stability and homogeneity of the clones in two production cycles. The descriptive statistics were calculated and analyzed to determine the genetic distance based on the Gower algorithm. Four groups were formed, two using parental data and the other two containing the different hybrids that were evaluated in the two growing cycles. In the floral evaluation, the time from field planting to harvest of the stem as a cut flower was determined to be as long as 17 months in the first cycle and 13.5 months in the second cycle for both hybrids. They were characterized as a novelty in the flower market; they showed genetic stability and homogeneity and can be recommended as new cultivars of ornamental pineapple because they exhibit satisfactory quality and meet the market requirements.
Highlights
The flower agribusiness is a promising activity with major growth potential in both domestic and foreign markets
The objective of this study was to conduct a clonal evaluation of two promising ornamental hybrids using quantitative and qualitative morphological descriptors to recommend them as new ornamental pineapple cultivars, as well as to determine the best phase for floral induction of these hybrids
According to the time from planting to the last flower closing, blossoming time was reduced in the second cycle by 102 days for hybrid PL01 and 108 days for PL04 compared with the first cycle
Summary
The flower agribusiness is a promising activity with major growth potential in both domestic and foreign markets. Cut flowers account for 40% of the flower market (Correa et al, 2007), and their high export value has led to increases in production in many countries, including Brazil. Agronomy tropical flowers stand out for their beauty and colors. The Brazilian climate and soil are favorable for large-scale flower production, especially of native species (Lima & Ferraz, 2008). The market for ornamental pineapple plants as a high-value floricultural product has been growing (Brainer & Oliveira, 2007).
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