Morphological and productive responses of cactus pear cv. Mexican elephant ear under different planting densities

The aim was to evaluate the morphological and productiveresponses of cactus cv. Mexican elephant ear (Opuntia strictaHaw.) under different crop densities and days after planting. Thiswas a randomised block design consisting of four treatments ofplanting densities (30.000; 45.000; 60.000 and 75.000 plants/ha)with four replications. Morphological characteristics, phenology,growth and production rates were evaluated, such as: totalnumber of cladodes (TNC), primary cladode length (PCL),secondary cladode width (SCW), cladode area index (CAI), netassimilation rates (NAR) and the productive characteristics offresh matter (FMP) and dry matter (DMP). There was an effect ofdensities (P < 0.001) at 120 DAP on TNC. At 240 DAP, there wasan effect (P < 0.05) of densities on PCL and SCW. There was aquadratic effect (P < 0.05) on plant height at 360 DAP. A quadraticmodel was fit (P < 0.05) for data of SCW at 240 DAP. The densitiesof 30.000; 45.000 and 75.000 plants/ha showed threephenophases. Densities of 75.000 plants/ha showed higher CAI,while net assimimilation rates was similar for densities of 60.000and 75.000 plants/ha. The increase in planting density shortensthe cactus pear phenophase and alters the morphologicalcharacteristics, however its production increases