Articles
Importance of the selection of plant material for sustainable cactus pear production in South Africa
Article number
1343_21
Pages
145 – 154
Language
English
Abstract
The importance of using quality planting material is a well-known phenomenon for sustainable crop production.
In South Africa, cactus pear orchards are mainly established vegetatively, using whole cladodes collected from selected mother plants, ensuring the same genetic qualities as the original plant.
There is currently a need for quality planting material to supply in the growing need for establishing new orchards (0.63 ha). A new genotype bank was established on the West Campus of the University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa.
The aim was to protect the spineless cactus pear cultivars identified as high fruit and/or cladode producers and to serve as a source of quality planting material.
Twenty cultivars form part of this planting based on ten-year fruit and cladode yield data. Algerian, Fusicaulis, Gymno Carpo, Messina, Meyers, Morado, Skinners Court and Zastron was selected as dual-purpose cultivars and Berg × Mexican, Fresno, Malta, Nudosa, Ofer, R1251, R1260, Robusta, Rossa, Santa Rosa, Sicillian Indian Fig and Turpin for fodder production.
A randomized complete block design with three replications was used, and each replication consisted of four data plants.
Cladode and fruit yield data were collected for five seasons starting from the 2016/17 season after planting in 2015. Cladode and fruit yield increased linearly over the production seasons.
During the fifth production season, R1260 (72.46 t ha‑1), Zastron (63.00 t ha‑1), Nudosa (62.87 t ha‑1), Santa Rosa (56.74 t ha‑1) and Morado, (55.81 t ha‑1) not only yielded the most cladodes but was also 12.67, 9.72, 12.56, 12.79 and 10.02 t ha‑1 fruit, respectively.
Comparing the yield data of the new planting with the mother plants for the corresponding production period, emphasize the importance of the selection of quality planting material, but it is also evident that seasonal climatic factors influence the performance of a cultivar.
The West Campus cultivar data supported the data of the cultivar evaluation trial done on the Waterkloof farm.
In South Africa, cactus pear orchards are mainly established vegetatively, using whole cladodes collected from selected mother plants, ensuring the same genetic qualities as the original plant.
There is currently a need for quality planting material to supply in the growing need for establishing new orchards (0.63 ha). A new genotype bank was established on the West Campus of the University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa.
The aim was to protect the spineless cactus pear cultivars identified as high fruit and/or cladode producers and to serve as a source of quality planting material.
Twenty cultivars form part of this planting based on ten-year fruit and cladode yield data. Algerian, Fusicaulis, Gymno Carpo, Messina, Meyers, Morado, Skinners Court and Zastron was selected as dual-purpose cultivars and Berg × Mexican, Fresno, Malta, Nudosa, Ofer, R1251, R1260, Robusta, Rossa, Santa Rosa, Sicillian Indian Fig and Turpin for fodder production.
A randomized complete block design with three replications was used, and each replication consisted of four data plants.
Cladode and fruit yield data were collected for five seasons starting from the 2016/17 season after planting in 2015. Cladode and fruit yield increased linearly over the production seasons.
During the fifth production season, R1260 (72.46 t ha‑1), Zastron (63.00 t ha‑1), Nudosa (62.87 t ha‑1), Santa Rosa (56.74 t ha‑1) and Morado, (55.81 t ha‑1) not only yielded the most cladodes but was also 12.67, 9.72, 12.56, 12.79 and 10.02 t ha‑1 fruit, respectively.
Comparing the yield data of the new planting with the mother plants for the corresponding production period, emphasize the importance of the selection of quality planting material, but it is also evident that seasonal climatic factors influence the performance of a cultivar.
The West Campus cultivar data supported the data of the cultivar evaluation trial done on the Waterkloof farm.
Publication
Authors
G.M. Coetzer, H.J. Fouche
Keywords
cultivar, cladode, yield, rainfall
Groups involved
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