EFFECT OF CLADODE SHADING ON GROWTH AND RIPENING OF FRUITS OF CACTUS PEAR (OPUNTIA FICUS–INDICA L. MILLER)

Fruiting cladodes of O. ficus–indica were covered with shade nets at different stages of the fruit development period to study the effect of the time and duration of shade on fruit growth, ripening time and harvest quality.
Shading the fruiting cladodes 0, 15 and 30 days after full bloom (DAB) for a period of 15, 30, 45, 60 or 75 days caused a significant reduction of fruit growth and ultimate harvest size.
The longer the shading period the greater was the reduction of harvest fruit size.
The greatest reduction of fruit growth (30%) occurred when the fruiting cladodes were shaded from bloom to harvest.
Differences in growth rate between fruits on shaded or sunlit cladodes begun to appear at 30 DAB and increased during the final swell of fruit development.
The reduction of fruit growth lasted even after the removal of the shade fabric.
Cladode shade resulted in a consistent delay of fruit ripening when the shading period exceeded 15 days.
Soluble solids and firmness of the fruit were not significatively affected by cladode shade.

III International Congress on Cactus Pear and Cochineal

T. La Mantia, G. Barbera, G. Gugliuzza, P. Inglese

Photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD), assimilation, photosynthate, fruit quality

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1997.438.2