Gas exchange in forage cactus cultivars of genera Opuntia and Nopalea (Cactaceae)

ABSTRACT Forage cactus species are cultivated in northeaster Brazil for feed, mainly during dry periods, as cacti are xerophytes well adapted to drought. Gas exchange studies have elucidated the physiological mechanisms underlying plant adaptation to ecosystems with low water availability. Here, we...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inCiência agronômica Vol. 54
Main Authors Silva, Ronimeire Torres da, Figueiredo, Francisco Romário Andrade, Lopes, Maria de Fátima Queiroz, Bruno, Riselane de Lucena Alcântara, Andrade, Alberício Pereira de
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Portuguese
Published Universidade Federal do Ceará 01.01.2023
Subjects
AGRONOMY
Cactaceae
Crassulacean Acid Metabolism
Photosynthesis
Semiarid
Cactaceae
Photosynthesis
Crassulacean Acid Metabolism
Semiarid
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:ABSTRACT Forage cactus species are cultivated in northeaster Brazil for feed, mainly during dry periods, as cacti are xerophytes well adapted to drought. Gas exchange studies have elucidated the physiological mechanisms underlying plant adaptation to ecosystems with low water availability. Here, we evaluated the variability between and within cactus forage genera Opuntia and Nopalea with respect to gas exchange behaviour. Twenty-one cultivars were used, 16 of which belonged to genus Opuntia, while six belonged to genus Nopalea, particularly, O. cochenillifera. Gas exchange was evaluated in the secondary cladode at 00:00 hours using a portable infrared gas analyser. Net CO2 assimilation rate, stomatal conductance, CO2 intercellular concentration, transpiration rate, and leaf temperature were evaluated. Additionally, instantaneous water use efficiency, intrinsic water use efficiency, and instantaneous carboxylation efficiency were calculated. Boxplots were used to assess value dispersion between the genera prior to submitting the data to multivariate analysis of principal components and cultivar-based grouping, and subsequently organizing the species studied in a dendrogram. Variability between the two genera and among cactus forage cultivars was detected for gas exchange. Cultivars were classified into three groups and two main components were identified. Cultivars 'Verdura' and 'Orelha de Elefante Mexicana’ showed higher photosynthetic performance.
ISSN:1806-6690
1806-6690
DOI:10.5935/1806-6690.20230035