CACTUS PEAR (OPUNTIA FICUS-INDICA MILL.) IN TURKEY: GROWING REGIONS AND POMOLOGICAL TRAITS OF CACTUS PEAR FRUITS

Cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica L. Mill.) is widely found at the Mediterranean and Aegean regions of Turkey. The fruits are collected from plants surrounding the agricultural fields or suburban plots. Fruits are sold fresh on the streets or at the bazaars. In this study fruits collected from four growing regions as well as the main features of those areas are described. Fruit weight varied from 80 g to 140 g. Average edible portion, total seed number, viable and aborted seed rate were 54.18%, 235, 39.6%, and 60.4% respectively.