“…), CFM cladode fresh matter (g), CDM cladode dry matter (g), H2O water content of cladode (g), NC total number of cladodes, PW plant width (cm), PH plant height (cm), TPA total photosynthetic area of the plant (cm 2 ), CAI cladode area index, FM fresh matter production of the plant (g), DM dry matter production of the plant (g), DESIR Desirability, CAR Infestation by carmine cochineal (Dactylopius opuntiae), SCA infestation by cactus scale (Diaspis echinocacti), DIS Incidence of Diseases and WIL wilt Index. Paixão (2012) and Ferreira et al (2003) cite as most important characteristics for the divergence in genera Opuntia and Nopalea: CW, CL, CT, NC and CFM. Although this study present CFM and H 2 O as the main characteristics of diversity, they are positively and significantly correlated in the (p ≤ 0.01) and corelated to CDM, CW, CA, and in the (p ≤ 0.05) with CL.…”