FRUIT YIELD AND QUALITY OF CACTUS PEAR (OPUNTIA SPP.) CULTIVARS IN THE CENTRAL FREE STATE, SOUTH AFRICA

The objective of the study was to evaluate fruit yield and quality of cactus pear cultivars for three seasons in the Central Free State, South Africa. The orchard was in its 4th, 5th and 6th production season, respectively and consisted of 42 cultivars. Sixteen cultivars were selected for fruit production potential for the local and export markets. The orchard used was laid out as a complete randomized block design with two replicates of five data plants each. Data collected were; total fruit yield, fruit mass, total soluble solids (TSS), pulp percentage and peel thickness. Cultivars responded differently during the three seasons. Fruit yield increased every season for most cultivars except during season 5 and 6 for ‘Gymno carpo’, ‘Van As’ and ‘Vryheid’. Fruit mass of ‘Messina’, ‘Meyers’, ‘Nudosa’, ‘Van As’ and ‘Vryheid’ fulfilled the minimum requirement of >120 g during season 4 and ‘Muscatel’, ‘Nudosa’, ‘Postmasburg’ and ‘Vryheid’ during season 5. All cultivars fulfilled in the minimum fruit mass requirement during season 6, except ‘Algerian’, ‘Corfu’, ‘Fusicaulis’ and ‘Zastron’. Pulp percentage of all cultivars tended to increase from season 4 to 5 but decreased again during season 6 except for ‘Vryheid’ and ‘Zastron’. ‘Corfu’ and ‘Messina’ were the only cultivars whereof the pulp percentage was lower than 50% in season 6. In all three seasons ‘Nudosa’s’ TSS was lower than 13°Brix and, ‘Corfu’ and ‘Direkteur’s’ during season 6. Fruit peel was in general thinner during season 5 than in 4 and 6 for all cultivars and the peel of only ‘Corfu’ (season 4 and 6) and ‘Messina’s’ (season 6) was thicker than 6 mm. Cultivars responded differently and although the fruit mass of ‘Nudosa’s’ was within the requirements for local and export markets the TSS content was unacceptable.