INFLUENCE OF THE TIMING OF FLOWERS AND YOUNG CLADODES REMOVAL ON REFLOWERING AND HARVEST PERIODS, YIELDS AND FRUITS QUALITY OF PRICKLY PEAR (OPUNTIA FICUS-INDICA)

The spring flush of flowers and cladodes were removed at four different stages of bloom in a 15-year-old clone of cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica). The stages tested as treatments was; S₁= Preblooming (1% open flowers), S₂ = Full bloom (50% open flowers), S₃ = Postbloom (100% open flowers 50% dry petals) and S₄ = Postbloom (100% dry petals with 50% of fall corolla). Unaffected plants were considered as control S₀. S₃ was the best treatment with a highest reflowering index (RFI = 1.2). At this stage the reflowering date and maturity period was delayed, respectively, by 94 and 64 days compared to the control and fruit maturity started at the end of harvest in control plot. While, the S₄ treatment was delayed 10 days after harvest of the control. In the S₃ plot, the yield was highest (38 t/ha) and statistically equal to control (34 t/ha). The difference was highly significant compared to the three other treatments (S₁, S₂ and S₄). The yield in the S3 plot was 3, 1.5 and 1.5 times, respectively, for S₁ (13 t/ha), S₂ and S₄ (25 t/ha). Stage S₃ is considered as a high time for the Scozzolatura technique. Regarding the economic side, the S₄ is by far the best stage to obtain fruits with important added value. The size of fruits was important (144 g) and very sweaty (16°Brix) in this treatment. The percent reduction of seeds in the S4 plot was 39% less than the control.