COMPETITIVE GROWTH OF FRUITS AND CLADODES OF OPUNTIA FICUS–INDICA (L.) MILL. AND THERMAL TIME REQUIREMENT

Morphological changes for current season cladodes and for fruits of cactus pear (Opuntia ficus–indica) were monitored for the spring flush and for the second flush induced by the removal of the spring flush.
Thermal time requirement for fruit growth was calculated in terms of Growing Degree Hours (GDH), from bud burst to fruit harvest.
Fruits of the first and second flush differed in terms of fresh and dry weight at harvest and for the length of the fruit development period (FDP). However, fruits of the first and second flush required the same thermal time (40 x 10³ GDH) to reach commercial harvest maturity and had a similar absolute growth rate (AGR) throughout the FDP. AGR of current developing cladodes was higher than for fruits during most of the FDP. Only during the latest stages of their development, fruits had a growth rate higher than that of the cladodes.
The proportion of annual dry matter allocated in the fruits was 35% for the 1st flush and 45% for the 2nd flush.

III International Congress on Cactus Pear and Cochineal

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

growth rate, competition, reflowering

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1997.438.3