ISHS Acta Horticulturae 811: VI International Congress on Cactus Pear and Cochineal
FLOWER DEVELOPMENT AND HEAT REQUIREMENT OF CACTUS PEAR (OPUNTIA FICUS-INDICA (MILL.) L.) CV. GIALLA GROWING UNDER TUNISIAN CONDITIONS |
| Authors: | M.K. Aounallah, A. Sahli, H. Mehri, T. Bettaib, A. Jebari, T. Tissaoui, H. Ben Salem |
| Keywords: | Opuntia ficus-indica, flower development, morphogenesis, flower bud burst asynchrony, heat requirement |
| Abstract:
The aim of this research was to characterize the floral morphogenesis of cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica (Mill.) L.) cv. Gialla under Tunisian conditions. Characterisation of the various references stage was made under morphological and histological aspects. Phenological and morphogenetic data were determined weekly. Also, two groups of bud were considered to characterise the asynchrony of flower development: early differentiated flower bud (2 April) and late differentiated flower bud (28 April). Finally, heat requirements of the various stages were calculated in terms of growing degree hour accumulations (GDH) using half-hourly temperature data recorded in the experimental field. Microscopic observations and morphological measurements suggest 6 reference stages from flower bud burst until fruit set. Differences were noted on growth and development patterns of the late differentiated flower buds. In fact, the late developed flower buds (LDB) exhibited a heat requirement of about 15 to 40% less for all stages except for the bud differentiation stage. | |
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