Growing cactus pear O. ficus-indica(L.) Mill. The contribution of …agrimaroc.net/cactus-congress/s21- Growing cactus pear.pdf · 2018. 7. 25. · Growing cactus pear O. ficus-indica(L.)

Growing cactus pear O. ficus-indica (L.) Mill.

The contribution of the scientific research on

plant ecophysiology and biology

Inglese P., Liguori G.

VIIth International Congress on Cactus Pear and Cochineal

Dipartimento di Colture Arboree, University of Palermo

Agadir, Morocco – October 17-22, 2010

In 1993, when the CACTUSNET was created, international cooperation among Scientists working on cacti was nihil.

Scientific information delivered to growers was not consistent and updated.

Many questions have been addressed concerning all major aspects related to fruit production and quality.

VII Cactus Pear & Cochineal ISHS Congress - Agadir 17-22 Oct. 2010-.

Numbers for cactus Research in the last 20 years

360 papers in the ISI web of science (1990-2010).

573 citations for “Opuntia ficus-indica” in the CAB (2000-2010).

192 papers published in the Acta forCactus Pear & Cochineal Symposia, since 1992).

432 Authors in Acta, 1992-2007.VII Cactus Pear & Cochineal ISHS Congress - Agadir 17-22 Oct. 2010-.

.

Numbers for cactus Research in the last 20 years (Symposia)

Papers Authors

Chile 28 37

S. Africa 23 46

Tunisia 40 91

Mexico 42 80

Brazil 59 178


Genetic Resources:

genotype identification and description;

morphological and biological analysis worlwide;

genotype characterization (from isoezymes to microarrays and DNA analysis);

breeding;

germplasm collections.

MAJOR INNOVATIONS:


Orchard lay out and management:

orchard planting and lay-out;

tree pruning;

LAI measurement;

plant nutrition and fertilization;

water requirement and irrigation management;

orchard floor management.

MAJOR INNOVATIONS:


Planting Density

Sicily: 4 m in the row and 6 m between the rows

416 plants/hectares (22 ton/ha)

Mexico: 2 m in the row and 4 m between the rows

1250 plants/hectares (20 ton/ha)

Israel: 1.5 m in the row and 4 m between the

rows 1600 plants/hectares (21 ton/ha)

MAJOR INNOVATIONS:

Reproductive biology:

reflowering potential;

environmental factors affecting reproductive potential;

plant architercture and reproductive sites;

biennial bearing;

variability of fruit yield.


Relative cladode contribution to plant yield in relation to its

fertility

Number of fruit per cladode2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24

Perc

ent a

geof

t ot a

l pl a

ntyi

eld

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Number of fertile cladodes needed to get a crop yield of 20 t ha-1, given 6 fruits (120 g) per

cladode, in relation to orchard density.

200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 18000

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

Number of plantsper hectare

Num

ber

of

f ert

ile

cladodes

per

pl a

nt

VI Cactus Pear & Cochineal ISHS Congress - Agadir 17-22 Oct. 2010-. VII Cactus Pear & Cochineal ISHS Congress - Agadir 17-22 Oct. 2010-.

Cladode dry weight in excess of the minimum dry weight for its surface area vs number of fruits on

that cladode.

VI Cactus Pear & Cochineal ISHS Congress - Agadir 17-22 Oct. 2010-.

Relationship between fruit weight and n° of fruit per tree in O. ficus-indica trees, cultivar Gialla.


Carbon flux in cladode of O. ficus-indica with and without fruit, during fruit growth

Carbon budget (%)-100 -80 -60 -40 -20 0 20 40 60 80 100

Num

ber o

ffru

i tpe

r cla

d ode

0

5

10

15

ExportImport

0-15 days after bloom

15-30 30-4545-6060-75

fruitless cladode


Fig.2 - Growing Degree Hours accumulation from spring burst to fruit harvest, at S. Margherita Belice, 37°44' Lat N.

Time of the year (Julian days)

90120150180210240270300330360

Thermal time (GDH x 103 )

20

40

60

80

100

120

spring burst

2nd flush bloom

1st flush bloom

1st flush harvest

2nd flush harvest

Fig.3 - Seasonal pattern of fresh weight accumulation for fruit of O. ficus-indica, of the spring flush and the second flush induced through the spring flush removal.

Time of the year (Julian days)

120150180210240270300

Fruit fresh weight (g)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

1st fluh2nd flush

GROWTH OF SUMMER AND LATE RIPENING FRUITS

Relationship between cladode natural fertility and its reflowering aptitude O. ficus-indica

Number of flowers per cladode0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Ref

low

eri n

gI n

dex

0,0

0,2

0,4

0,6

0,8

1,0

1,2

Evolution of GA3 content in flowers ofO. ficus-indica at different bloom stages

( ng

kg-1

fw)

0

50

100

150

200

250

Pre bloom Full bloom Post bloom

Emasculated

Treated with PPP333

Flower unremoved

MAJOR INNOVATIONS:

Fruit characteristics:

fruit growth and ripening pattern;

fruit ripening period (out-of-season crop);

fruit harvest and qualty index;

fruit quality parameters;

fruit nutraceutical potential;

fruit minimal processing;

post harvest physiology and management.



1

Weight

(g)

TSS

(% Brix)

Percent

Flesh

(%)

pH Titratable

Acidity

(% NaOH)

Height/

Width

Site ** ** ns ns ns *

Cultivar ** ns ns ns ns ns

Altitude ** ** ns ns ns **

Site x

Cultivar

ns ns ns ns ns ns

*=significant at p<0.05; **=significant at p<0.01; ns=non significant (Tukey’s test).

Analysis of variance of quality parameters of O. ficus-indica fruits, cultivar Gialla and Rossa, coming from

three different growing sites, in Sicily.

VI Cactus Pear & Cochineal ISHS Congress - Agadir 17-22 Oct. 2010-. VII Cactus Pear & Cochineal ISHS Congress – Agadir 17-22 Oct. 2010-.

Variability of fruit fresh weight and TSSC in five 8-years-old Opuntia ficus-indica trees,

cultivar Gialla.

VI Cactus Pear & Cochineal ISHS Congress - Agadir 17-22 Oct. 2010-. VII Cactus Pear & Cochineal ISHS Congress - Agadir 17-22 Oct. 2010-.

Relationship between average fruit weight and number of fruit per tree in five 8-years-old Opuntia ficus-indica trees, cultivar Gialla.

Relationship between total soluble solidcontent (TSSC) and cladode crop load


Relationship between average fruit fresh weight and number of fruits per cladode in five 8-years-

old Opuntia ficus-indica trees, cultivar Gialla.


1

Fruit

parameters

Canopy site

Bottom (0-1 m)

PAR = 15 mol m-2

day-1

Middle (1-2 m)

PAR = 18 mol m-2

day-1

Top (2-3 m)

PAR = 22 mol m-2

day-1

Fruit weight (g) 127.0 a 139.5 b 146.6 c

TSSC* (° Brix) 14.9 ns 15.0 57.0

Percent flesh (%)

55.1 ns 56.3 56.1

Quality parameters for O. ficus-indica, cv Gialla fruits, in relation to canopy site and intercepted Photosynthetic Active Radiation(PAR)

TSSC= Total Soluble Solids Content. Different letters indicate significant differences and ns = not significant differences within the row at p=0.05 (Tukey’s test).


Ecophysiology and environmental aspects:

environmental aspects of plant and fruit growth;

Carbon balance at cladode, plant and orchard level;

Plant response to global change;

organic production.

MAJOR INNOVATIONS:



Vegatative flush Flowers and Fruit (kg dm)

Current-year-cladodes (kg dm)

Mean ± SE Mean ± SE

I 3,06 0,64 3,75 0,13

II 6,34 0,25 12,20 0,70

TOTAL 9,40 0,34 15,95 0,76

Dry matter cumulated in one year in a 8-year-old cactus pear tree

1-year-old 2-year-old >2-year-old Total

Mean ±SE Mean ± SE Mean ± SE Mean ± SE

Whole tree (kg dm)

26,06 3,20 5,86 0,34 2,85 0,27 34,73 3,13

Single cladode (g dm)

150,21 13,2 60,13 5,54 8,14 7,82 50,12 4,31

Secondary growth of 1-year-, 2-year- and >2-year-old cladodes


Mean ± SE

(kg tree-1) 58,7 6,0

(t ha-1) 16,2 1,7

Seasonal dry matter accumulation



SAI Current-year 1-year-old 2-year-old >2-year-old Total

mean ± SE mean ± SE mean ± SE mean ± SE mean ± SE

tree 1,70 0,3 1,3 0,2 0,74 0,1 2,89 0,3 6,63 0,5

orchard 0,95 0,1 0,73 0,1 0,42 0,1 1,62 0,2 3,72 0,3

Stem Area Index (SAI)

Surface area Current-year 1-year-old 2-year-old >2-year-old

mean ± SE mean ± SE mean ± SE Mean ± SE

tree (m2) 33,4 5,1 25,6 3,2 14,6 0,9 28,5 2,7

Cladode (cm2)

1370,2 32,1 1553,8 17,8 1706,0

53,0 1746,8

53,0

Tree (m2) and Cladode (cm2) surface area

How to increase fruit yield potential?

plant fertility vs Cladode fertilitytree spacing vs plant architecture

How to reduce production costs?mechanization vs plant breeding

How to increase fruit quality and value?

seasonal offerfruit shape and colorseed numberfruit organolpetic and nutraceutical value

MAJOR RELEVANT QUESTIONS:


MAJOR RELEVANT QUESTIONS:

Plant nutrition and N balance

Water requirement and irrigation management

C balance and environmental impact of cactus pear orchard


Documents

Growing cactus pear O. ficus-indica(L.) Mill. The contribution of …agrimaroc.net/cactus-congress/s21- Growing cactus pear.pdf · 2018. 7. 25. · Growing cactus pear O. ficus-indica(L.)