ISHS Acta Horticulturae 581: IV International Congress on Cactus Pear and Cochineal
FRUIT LOAD AND CLADODE NUTRIENT CONCENTRATIONS IN CACTUS PEAR |
| Authors: | G. Gugliuzza, T. La Mantia, P. Inglese |
| Keywords: | Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill., plant nutritional status, cactus pear, cladode crop load |
| Abstract:
Nutrient content was measured, between flowering and commercial fruit harvest, for cladodes with none, 5, 10 and 15 fruits and for defruited cladodes of 8-years-old orchard plants of O. ficus-indica. Fruiting cladodes showed a higher rate of N and K depletion and a higher Mg content during the season. Ca increased throughout the season with no relation with fruiting. N content change in relation to cladode age, cladode sampling location and within chlorenchyma and parenchyma. 2-years-old cladodes and the parenchyma apparently are the prevalent N storage pool in the canopy. | |
Download Adobe Acrobat Reader (free software to read PDF files) | |
