cactus pear; fruit yield; fruit quality; irrigation; irrigation scheduling
Abstract :
[en] Most plantations of cactus pear are not irrigated in Morocco and fruits are tiny. The impacts of irrigation during flowering (FLO) and fruit growth (FRG) on fruit yield and quality were monitored along two years on three varieties of cactus pear. In 2011, irrigation treatments were: T1 (0 mm), T2 (30 mm during FLO and 30 mm during FRG) and T3 (30 mm during FRG only). In 2012, irrigation treatments increased to 60 mm during FLO and FRG. The irrigation treatments were
applied in 8 (T3) or 16 (T2) watering, once every three days.
Interactions between varieties and treatments were significant for fruit yields and for yield components. In 2011, T2 and T3 irrigations had a negative effect on ‘Aissa’ and ‘Moussa’ (-2.8 kg/ plant) and T2 had a positive effect on ‘Achefri’ (+2.7 kg/plant).
Fruit quality was not affected by irrigation. In 2012, all the varieties responded positively to irrigation: ‘Achefri’ and ‘Aissa’ yielded very significantly more with T3 (plus 63 % and 30 %
resp.) and ‘Moussa’ with T2 (+30 %). All irrigations increased fruit number and size. Irrigation had no significant effect on the fruit quality or slightly decreased the content of total sugars and
titratable acidity.
Disciplines :
Food science
Author, co-author :
ARBA, Mohamed; Hassan II Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, Horticultural Complex of Agadir, Morocco > Department of Horticulture
Falisse, André; GemblouxAgro-Bio Tech, Liège University, Belgium. > Crop Production Unit
Choukr-Allah, Redouane; Department of Horticulture > Hassan II Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, Horticultural Complex of Agadir, Morocco
Sindic, Marianne ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Chimie des agro-biosystèmes
Language :
English
Title :
Impact of irrigation during flowering and fruit growth on fruit yield and quality of the cactus Opuntia spp.
Publication date :
26 March 2021
Journal title :
Acta Agriculturae Slovenica
ISSN :
1581-9175
eISSN :
1854-1941
Publisher :
Biotehniske Fakultete Univerze v Ljubljani, Slovenia
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