Morphological characteristics and yield of Opuntia stricta and Nopalea cochenillifera in integrated crop systems with caatinga trees

Abstract

The objective was to evaluate the structural and production characteristics of Opuntia stricta (Cactus pear Orelha de Elefante Mexicana) and Nopalea cochenillifera (Cactus pear Miúda) under different arrangements of caatinga trees. The study was carried out at the Teaching, Research and Extension Unit (UEPE) of the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Ceará (IFCE), Limoeiro do Norte Campus, state of Ceará. The experimental area consisted of nine systems, arranged in strips of Caatinga trees (woody component), with dimensions of 6.0 × 100.0 m, directed in the north–south direction. Among the tree strips, Opuntia stricta and Nopalea cochenillifera were implanted in plots, according to the following treatments: cactus pear grown under 46.15% woody cover (ICS46; 1418 trees per hectare), cactus pear grown under 30.00% woody cover (ICS30; 925 trees per hectare) and cactus pear grown under 17.64% woody cover (ICS18; 524 trees per hectare). The experimental design was completely randomized, in a split-plot arrangement. Mean canopy height (H), number of cladodes per linear meter (NC) and total forage biomass (TFB) were evaluated, considering the east, center and west positions. The lowest H and NC was found for Nopalea cochenillifera in the east position. Nopalea cochenillifera and Opuntia stricta cultivated in system ICS46 had the lowest TFB in the center position. The silvopastoral systems ICS30 and ICS18 can be adopted without negatively affecting the structural and productive characteristics of cactus pears Opuntia stricta and Nopalea cochenillifera.