CHANGES IN THE MORPHOLOGY AND STRUCTURE OF OPUNTIA FICUS-INDICA (MILL.) CLADODES SURFACE

The cactus pear is one of the fruit crop species mainly spread in the arid areas due to its CAM metabolism and morphological adaptive characters to drought.
This study describes the changes in the morphology and structure of cladodes surface during growth and in relation to water stress.
The research was carried out in Sardinia, during 1993 – 1994, on 200 one–year–old self–rooted and pot– grown plants of Opuntia ficus-indica, cultivar Gialla.
The results obtained outline the influence of cladode age and water stress in the disarrangement of wax structure, which may be adopted as an evidence of advanced senescence.

IV International Congress on Cactus Pear and Cochineal

I. Chessa, G. Nieddu, L. De Pau, D. Satta

cactus pear, SEM., stomata, wax

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2002.581.17