Impact of irrigation during flowering and fruit growth on fruit yield and quality of the cactus Opuntia spp.

Mohamed Arba,Redouane Choukr-Allah,Marianne Sindic,André Falisse

doi:10.14720/aas.2021.117.2.1854

Abstract

<p>Most plantations of cactus pear are not irrigated in Morocco and fruits are tiny. The impacts of irrigation during flowering (FLO) and fruit growth (FRG) on fruit yield and quality were monitored along two years on three varieties of cactus pear. In 2011, irrigation treatments were: T1 (0 mm), T2 (30 mm during FLO and 30 mm during FRG) and T3 (30 mm during FRG only). In 2012, irrigation treatments increased to 60 mm during FLO and FRG. The irrigation treatments were applied in 8 (T3) or 16 (T2) watering, once every three days. Interactions between varieties and treatments were significant for fruit yields and for yield components. In 2011, T2 and T3 irrigations had a negative effect on ‘Aissa’ and ‘Moussa’ (-2.8 kg/plant) and T2 had a positive effect on ‘Achefri’ (+2.7 kg/plant). Fruit quality was not affected by irrigation. In 2012, all the varieties responded positively to irrigation: ‘Achefri’ and ‘Aissa’ yielded very significantly more with T3 (plus 63 % and 30 % resp.) and ‘Moussa’ with T2 (+30 %). All irrigations increased fruit number and size. Irrigation had no significant effect on the fruit quality or slightly decreased the content of total sugars and titratable acidity</p>

Highlights

IntroductionThe prickly pear cactus Opuntia plays an important role in the system of agriculture of arid and semi-arid zones, due to its numerous non-food (forage, pharmaceuticals, cosmetic oil from the seeds and for anti-erosion), and food uses (cladodes as vegetables, fruit, and fruit juice) (Nefzaoui & Ben Salem, 2000; Le Houérou, 2002; Felker & Inglese, 2003; Arba, 2009; Inglese, 2010)
The prickly pear cactus Opuntia plays an important role in the system of agriculture of arid and semi-arid zones, due to its numerous non-food, and food uses (Nefzaoui & Ben Salem, 2000; Le Houérou, 2002; Felker & Inglese, 2003; Arba, 2009; Inglese, 2010)
This study aims to evaluate the impacts of complemented irrigation at critical phenological stages, during the flowering and fruit-growth stages, on fruit yield and fruit quality, mainly in terms of calibre and composition

Summary

Introduction

The prickly pear cactus Opuntia plays an important role in the system of agriculture of arid and semi-arid zones, due to its numerous non-food (forage, pharmaceuticals, cosmetic oil from the seeds and for anti-erosion), and food uses (cladodes as vegetables, fruit, and fruit juice) (Nefzaoui & Ben Salem, 2000; Le Houérou, 2002; Felker & Inglese, 2003; Arba, 2009; Inglese, 2010). Cactus pear fruits are appreciated by the consumer for their flavour, taste and dietetic properties It occupies an important area of about 150 000 ha, but plantations are often poorly managed and usually not irrigated. Irrigation may be required in hot and dry zones in the summer, especially for intensive commercial production as in Mexico, USA, Chile, Italy, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia (Inglese, 2010). In these areas, an addition of limited amounts of water can improve yields when rainfall fails to be sufficient for the plant growth (Oweis & Hachum, 2012). The amount of rain received during the fruit development period (FDP) of the cactus Opuntia, which extends from the beginning of the formation of floral buds until fruit ripening, influences the mean fresh mass of fruit (Zegbe Dominguez et al, 2015). Felker et al (2002) suggested that high

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