Effect of planting position on the morphology and productivity of forage cactus cv. Mexican Elephant Ear (Opuntia stricta Haw.) in the São Francisco Valley

Resumen

This study evaluated the effects of topological arrangement on the morphological and productive characteristics of the forage cactus Mexican Elephant Ear (Opuntia stricta Haw.) under semi-arid conditions. A completely randomized block design with four treatments and four replications compared the Deck and Domino systems, with planting densities ranging from 25,000 to 57,500 plants ha⁻¹. Over 180 d, morphological parameters (number of cladodes, dimensions, and plant height) and productive variables (dry matter and forage mass) were monitored. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey’s test (P≤0.05) in SAS® OnDemand for Academics. The Deck arrangement significantly increased the number of cladodes (23 %) and their length (15 %) compared to the Domino system (P<0.05), which was attributed to improved light interception. Plant height and the number of primary cladodes followed a quadratic increasing trend, while cladode perimeter and area index decreased after 120 d. However, no significant differences were observed in dry matter yield (8.2 t ha⁻¹) or total forage mass (34.5 t ha⁻¹) among treatments (P>0.05). These results demonstrate that planting arrangement significantly influences cactus morphology but not short-term productivity. The Deck system favored better architectural development, suggesting possible long-term advantages for forage production in environments with limited water availability. These findings provide valuable insights for optimizing cactus cultivation in semi-arid regions.