Nutrition and yield of ‘Gigante’ cactus pear cultivated with different spacings and organic fertilizer

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the levels of macronutrients in cladodes and yield of cactus pear, cv. ‘Gigante’, cultivated with different cattle manure doses and plant spacings. The experimental design was randomized blocks in 4 x 3 factorial, with three replicates. The treatments consisted of the combination of four doses of cattle manure (0, 30, 60 and 90 Mg ha-1 year-1) with three spacings (1.00 x 0.50, 2.00 x 0.25 and 3.00 x 1.00 x 0.25 m). The contents of macronutrients and dry matter production of cladodes were assessed 600 days after planting. The plant spacings influenced the contents of nitrogen, potassium, calcium and sulfur in the cladodes of ‘Gigante’ cactus pear and there was interaction between spacing and manure dose for magnesium contents. The increment in cattle manure doses increases the contents of phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium and sulfur in the cladodes. The maximum dry matter production of cladodes is estimated at 21.8 Mg ha-1 year-1 at a dose of 71.8 Mg ha-1 year-1 of manure.

Nutritional Evaluation of Forage Cactus Fertigated With Domestic Sewage Effluent

“…. On the other hand, Donato et al (2016) obtained, at 600 DAP, overall mean of Ca extraction of 268.33 kg ha -1 for every 10 t ha -1 of dry matter. Souza (2015), in an experiment with NPK fertilization at 620 DAP, found overall mean Ca extraction of 175.50 kg ha -1 for every 10 t ha -1 of dry matter production.…”

“…Both helped to increase the content and availability of N in the soil and, consequently, led to the incremental absorption of N by the forage cactus. Donato et al (2016) studied the effects of different doses of approximately 131.65 kg ha -1 N for every 10 t ha -1 of dry matter. Souza (2015), in an experiment with NPK fertilization at 620 days after planting, found that the mean export of N was 177.88 kg ha -1 for every 10 t ha -1 of dry matter.…”

“…The K contents were similar to those found by Santos et al (1990) . However, Donato et al (2016) studied the effects of bovine manure doses and planting densities in forage cactus cultivation and obtained, at 600 DAP, an overall mean extraction/export of 394.54 of K kg ha -1 for every 10 t ha -1 of dry matter. In another experiment, Souza (2015), found mean K exports of 246.07 kg ha -1 for every 10 t ha -1 of dry matter production in an experiment with NPK fertilization applied over 620 DAP.…”

“…The values of the present study are close to those reported by Nobel et al (1987), who found Mg contents from 6.4 to 14.2 g kg -1 with a mean value of 10.3 g kg -1 in plants of the species Opuntia engelmannii in Coahuila, Mexico. Donato et al (2016), studying bovine manure doses and spacing, obtained an overall mean Mg extraction of 121.04 kg ha -1 for every 10 t ha -1 of dry matter at 600 DAP. Souza (2015), in an experiment with NPK fertilization, found an overall mean Mg exportation of 125.75 kg ha -1 for every 10 t ha -1 of dry matter at 620 DAP.…”

“…Thus, if there is no replenishment of nutrients through fertilization, there will be a reduction in the yield and quality of the forage. Donato et al (2016), studying bovine manure doses and spacing, obtained at 600 DAP mean extraction of 6.61 kg ha -1 for every 10 t ha -1 of dry matter. Souza (2015) observed that the Mn contents of 2,006.06 and 1,761.01 mg kg -1 , resulted from NPK and NP fertilizations over 620 DAP, respectively, did not differ and exceeded the contents of the treatments without fertilization (984.41 mg kg -1 ) and when fertilized with P (665.65 mg kg -1 ).…”