The objective of this study was to evaluate the productive and economic performance of a forage cactus and sorghum intercropping system in relation to a forage cactus single cropping system under different irrigation blades with saline water. The study was conducted in Serra Talhada, State of Pernambuco, in a randomized block design, consisting of a factorial arrangement with split-plot parcels (5×2) and four replications. The five plots were the irrigation depths based on the reference evapotranspiration (ETo) (0, 8.75, 17.5, 26.25, and 35% ETo) and the two cropping systems were single forage cactus cropping and cactus intercropped with sorghum. The experiment was conducted for one year, with one forage cactus cycle and two cycles of sorghum. Yields were obtained at the end of the cycles. Economic profitability was analyzed by means of net revenue (NR) and the benefit/cost ratio (B/C), with cactus forage sold as forage or as "seed" and sorghum as forage. Net revenue and B/C simulations were carried out over an eight-year useful life span of the irrigation system. Increasing irrigation depth increased the dry matter yield of the intercropping system because of higher sorghum yield. Based on the NR and B/C ratio values, forage cactus and sorghum produced as forage produced higher economic outcomes in the intercropping system and showed a higher profitability from the 2nd year of implementation of the irrigation system. Forage cactus and sorghum intercropping irrigated with saline water is therefore recommended for forage production in the Brazilian semi-arid region.

A B S T R A C TThis study aimed to understand the relationship of morphological characteristics and actual evapotranspiration of forage cactus clones with their productive capacity under different water regimes. The data used in this study were collected between the years 2012 and 2013, in Serra Talhada, State of Pernambuco. The clones Sertânia IPA -IPA, Miúda -MIU and Orelha de Elefante Mexicana -OEM were submitted to three irrigation depths (2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 mm) and three irrigation intervals (7, 14 and 28 days). Cladode and plant morphology, accumulated actual evapotranspiration and yield were obtained at the moment of harvest. Pearson's correlation matrix was elaborated and, in the sequence, multicollinearity, canonical and path analysis were applied. There was no correlation of yield with the soil water supply and actual evapotranspiration of the clones (p > 0.05). Forage cactus yield was more associated with peculiarities of the morphological characteristics of the clones than with the different soil water supplies or the crop actual evapotranspiration. However, regardless of the water regime and clone, the vigor of the basal cladodes was highly decisive for the expression of the forage cactus productive capacity.Associação de fatores morfológicos e hídricos com a produtividade da palma forrageira irrigada R E S U M O Objetivou-se, neste trabalho, compreender a relação de características morfológicas e da evapotranspiração real de clones de palma forrageira com sua capacidade produtiva em diferentes regimes hídricos. Os dados usados nesta pesquisa foram coletados entre os anos de 2012 e 2013, em Serra Talhada, PE. Os clones IPA Sertânia -IPA, Miúda -MIU e Orelha de Elefante Mexicana -OEM foram submetidos a três lâminas (2,5; 5,0; e 7,5 mm) e três intervalos de irrigação (7; 14 e 28 dias). Dados morfológicos dos cladódios e da planta, evapotranspiração real acumulada e desempenho produtivo foram obtidos na ocasião da colheita. A matriz de correlação de Pearson foi elaborada e, em seguida, foram aplicadas análises de multicolinearidade, canônica e de trilha. Não houve correlação da produtividade com o suprimento de água e evapotranspiração real dos clones (p > 0,05). A produtividade da palma esteve mais associada a peculiaridades das características morfológicas dos seus clones do que aos diferentes suprimentos de água no solo ou à evapotranspiração real da cultura. Mas, independente do regime hídrico e do clone, o vigor do cladódio basal foi bastante decisivo para a expressão da capacidade produtiva da palma forrageira irrigada.

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Forage cactus species exhibit distinct morphological characteristics, which have a relationship to yield and can be affected by different water conditions. The objective was to analyze, with the principal components analysis (PCA), the association between morphological and productivity variables in forage cactus clones in different water regimes. We cultivated, in Serra Talhada, Brazilian semiarid, the Miúda (MIU), Orelha de Elefante Mexicana (OEM) and IPA Sertânia (IPA) clones under four water regimes based on crop evapotranspiration – ETc (0%, 40%, 80% and 120% ETc). Between the years 2016 and 2018, morphological and crop productivity data were obtained. Two main components explained >82% of the total variability of the data, and the relationship between morphological and production variables depended on the clone and the water regime. The production of fresh and dry matter was more influenced by the morphological characteristics in the MIU and OEM clones. The IPA clone showed no correlation between the variables analyzed, regardless of the water regime. PCA can be used to understand the growth dynamics of plants and to identify the water conditions that act in the production of cactus clones, favoring better management in the cultivation of culture.