Impact of Vermicompost and Cattle Manure on Prickly Pear (Opuntia ficus-indica L.) Productivity and Essential Oil Accumulation in a Semi-Arid Region

This study investigated the innovative combination of vermicompost and cattle manure to enhance the productivity and fruit quality of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica L.) El-Shami cv in arid regions. The novel approach aims to evaluate the synergistic effects of vermicompost and cattle manure on growth, yield, and fruit quality parameters of prickly pear trees, providing a sustainable solution for improving agricultural productivity in arid and semi-arid regions under water-scarce conditions for this important crop. A three-year field experiment (2022-2024) was conducted in Al-Ismailia Governorate, Egypt, using a randomized complete block design. Prickly pear trees were treated with various combinations of vermicompost (5, 10, and 15 kg/tree) and cattle manure (10, 20, and 30 kg/tree), while a control group received no amendments (chemical fertilizers). Key growth such as plant height and cladode area, fruit yield, and fruit quality parameters, total soluble solids (TSS), vitamin C, and oil content were measured. The combined application of vermicompost and cattle manure significantly improved growth, yield, and fruit quality. The highest yield increase (25%) was observed with the treatment combining 15 kg vermicompost and 20 kg cattle manure. This treatment also resulted in the highest TSS at (12.3%) compared to (9.2%) in the control Notably, vitamin C content increased by 15% with 15 kg vermicompost + 30 kg cattle manure and oil content peaked at a maximum of 7% across combined treatments compared to 4% in the control.These findings demonstrate the potential of integrating vermicompost and cattle manure to optimize prickly pear production and enhance fruit quality. This sustainable approach can significantly improve agricultural productivity in arid and semi-arid regions addressing both food security and environmental conservation in water-scarce environments.