FORCED PRODUCTION IN PRICKLY PEAR (Opuntia ficus-indica, cv.) TLACONOPAL BY PARTIAL GIRDLING

Abstract

It is economically important to harvest fruit and young cladodes of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) out of season to take advantage of the high sale prices. The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of partial girdling in prickly pear harvest season. This girdling, carried out at the end of December, induced an increase of 50 % in floral bud, bursting and an advance of 55 d before the control, so that fruit were harvested 51 d ahead of the control. Partial girdling also caused a decrease in the transpiration rate.