Evaluation for growth and yield performance of prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill) accessions in hot arid region of Bikaner, India

Abstract

Growth and yield performance of seven accessions viz.,1269,1270, 1271, CAZRI Botanical Garden, Mount Abu, 1458 and AHCP-2 of prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill) was studied during 2013-14 at CAZRI, RRS, Bikanerwith the aim to find out most suitable accession for this region After 270 days study period, it was found that the accession CAZRI Botanical Garden produced maximum number of cladodes per plant (14.4) followed by the accession 1458 (5.4), 1270 (5.0) and 1271 (4.2). The number of cladodes was minimum in accession AHCP-2 (2.4). Regarding cladode length, the accession 1271 produced the longest (24.2 cm), whereas, it was lowest (12.6 cm) in AHCP-2. The accessions CAZRI Botanical Garden, 1270, 1458 and 1271 were higher yielder as compared to others. Highest green cladodes production (1260.7 g plant-1) was recorded in the accession CAZRI botanical garden followed by accession 1270 > accession 1458 > accession 1271, while the accession AHCP-2 produced lowest biomass (163.8 g plant-1).