Physiological and technical aspects of cactus pear [O. ficus-indica (L.) MILL.)] double reflowering and out-of-season winter fruit cropping

Abstract

A commercial cactus pear plantation in Sicily, Italy was manipulated to induce late cropping. The spring flush of flowers and cladodes were removed as was the second induced bloom of flowers and cladodes. The third induced bloom was harvested for a late outof- season crop of cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica Mill.). The double removal induced a third flush of flowers and cladodes during late August with a fruit production that ripened the following winter (January to March). The number of flowers per fertile cladode was halved after the double removal and the length of the fruit development period increased from 100-120 days to 160-190 days for the out-of-season crop. Polyethylene covering reduced sunlight but was essential for establishing optimal temperatures for cladode photosynthetic activity and fruit growth and ripening. Out-of-season fruits were regular in size and percent flesh with only a slight reduction in total soluble solid content.