Limited information is available on the response of local cactus pear cultivars to
environmental factors that influence fruit yield. Eleven cultivars were evaluated in three
diverse agro-climatic areas over seven production seasons in the Limpopo Province to
assess their environmental adaptability. Significant differences between cultivars, areas
and production years for five fruit yield components were evident. A strong genotype by
environment interaction was observed, although some cultivar characteristics were
genetically controlled. The most suitable production area is the cool mid-altitude area of
Limpopo Province. Cultivars that can be recommended for fresh fruit production are:
âAlgerianâ, âAmerican Giantâ, âGymno Carpoâ, âMaltaâ, âMoradoâ, âNudosaâ and âZastronâ.
Fruit yield was significantly influenced by minimum temperature and plant macro
nutrients. Soil phosphorus levels above 20 mg kg-1 and applied nitrogen higher than 100
kg ha-1 year-1 had a positive effect on fruit yield. Soil pH did not influence the fruit yield of
the cultivars tested. None of the cultivars tested had a winter chilling requirement to
become fertile. Vegetative growth was stimulated by increased solar radiation. Cactus
pear plants can be considered to be fully mature from the fifth year onwards.
Environmental adaptability is related to species differences rather than plant
morphological differences. Plant growth habit changed markedly in different
environments. To obtain high fruit yields, it is important to match a cultivar with
prevailing environmental conditions of the area. Fruit yield in cactus pear is a function of
the number of fertile cladodes, the number of fruit set, the number of fruit left after
thinning and individual fruit mass. Research into orchard practices, in particular pruning,
and evaluation of the existing cactus pear germplasm should receive attention. As a
ânewâ cultivated fruit crop it offers real solutions towards mitigation of the effects of
drought in arid and semi-arid parts of Limpopo Province.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ufs/oai:etd.uovs.ac.za:etd-02062009-140956 |
| Date | 06 February 2009 |
| Creators | Potgieter, Johannes Petrus |
| Contributors | Dr GM Engelbrecht, Prof S Walker |
| Publisher | University of the Free State |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en-uk |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.uovs.ac.za//theses/available/etd-02062009-140956/restricted/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to University Free State or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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