抄録
This study aimed to investigate the effects of hydroponics culture involving deep flow technique (DFT) on the growth of edible Opuntia, and drought stress on spine occurrence on daughter cladodes. Edible Opuntia cladodes were grown by hydroponic and pot culture. In pot culture experiments, plants were watered at different frequencies (once a week, once every 2 weeks, and once every 4 weeks). The total fresh weight of cladodes grown by DFT increased and daughter cladodes appeared, thus indicating that edible Opuntia can be grown by DFT. The number of daughter cladodes did not significantly differ between hydroponic and pot culture, but the growth rate of first daughter cladodes under DFT and high drought stress became slower than that with other treatments. We counted the number of spines on daughter cladodes, which is one of the most undesirable characteristics in edible cacti, and it was the greatest on cladodes under high drought stress and lowest on cladodes under DFT. Our results suggest that drought stress affects daughter cladode growth and the number of spines on daughter cladodes. Thus, controlling water availability is important for improving edible cactus quality.
