FRUIT LOAD AND CLADODE NUTRIENT CONCENTRATIONS IN CACTUS PEAR

Nutrient content was measured, between flowering and commercial fruit harvest, for cladodes with none, 5, 10 and 15 fruits and for defruited cladodes of 8-years-old orchard plants of O. ficus-indica. Fruiting cladodes showed a higher rate of N and K depletion and a higher Mg content during the season.
Ca increased throughout the season with no relation with fruiting.
N content change in relation to cladode age, cladode sampling location and within chlorenchyma and parenchyma. 2-years-old cladodes and the parenchyma apparently are the prevalent N storage pool in the canopy.

IV International Congress on Cactus Pear and Cochineal

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

Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill., plant nutritional status, cactus pear, cladode crop load

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2002.581.22