PRUNING AND GROWTH: SPECIMEN, OPUNTIA COCHENILLIFERA (FORAGE PALM)

JOSÉ GEVERTON SILVA CLEMENTE

CEIÇA DE MENEZES ALCÂNTARA

FÁBIO LUIZ DA SILVA VIEIRA

GEICE SILVA CLEMENTE

MARIA LETICIA PEREIRA AQUINO

DALTON FERREIRA MATOS

ABSTRACT: The Brazilian Semi-Arid located in the Northeast region of the country has: Tropical, Semi-Arid and Humid Equatorial Climate with the Caatinga Biome characterized mainly by the lack of precipitation, making the diversified planting of crops unfeasible. However, Opuntia cochenillifera is a cactus different behavior compared to other species, and its development is widespread in this area as it survives adverse weather conditions such as drought. However, its harvest requires Pruning, Management that can cause consequences such as Plant Death, Deficient Budding and Loss of Biomass. With this in mind, the objective of the work in question was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of treatments for pruning, taking into account the productivity, growth time, and the mortality rate of the plants used in the experiment. The research used two tests, each containing six lines and ten specimens of Opuntia cochenillifera each. One of the tests, the pruning being done on the line of the budding node of the “Mother Plant” and the other having its cut in the Primary Cladode, using the planting of Forage Palm (Opuntia cochenillifera), carrying out the pruning in 17 September and analysis of the tests after 22 days of growth, observing that the two techniques in (Test 1) pruning carried out on the “Mother Plant”, achieved greater productivity compared to the plants in (Test 2) “ Primary Cladodium”, with a measured percentage of 14% Higher. In which, the cactus harvesting techniques used in the experiment did not prove to be invasive in terms of mortality.

Keywords: Opuntia cochenillifera. Pruning. Growth. Management.