Productividad, contenido de nutrientes y resistencia al frío de clones y progenies forrajeros de Opuntia en Mendoza, Argentina y analisis económico de la inclusión de cactus en la dieta de rumiantes

GUEVARA, J. C.; GRÜNWALDT, E.G.; GRÜNWALDT, J.M.; PAEZ, M.N.

Santiago del Estero

Congreso; Segunda reunión para el aprovechamiento integral de la tuna y otras cactáceas. I Reunión Sudamericana CACTUSNET FAO-ICARDA; 2012

FAO-ICARDA CACTUSNET

This paper reports the findings of field studies on forage cactus clones and progenies conducted in the north central Mendoza plain, mid-western Argentina. Economic analysis of the use of cactus for replacing corn in small ruminant diets is also included. The major limitation to cultivation of cactus in some areas of Mendoza is cold winter temperatures. Mean productivity for a 3-year-old plantation of three O. ficus-indica accessions was 4,125 kg DM ha-1, with 294 mm rainfall, equivalent to a rain-use efficiency (RUE) of 14.0. The response of progenies from the cross O. ficus indica x O. lindheimerii Engelm. to fertilization at the highest application rate was a near 4-fold increase over the biomass of the zero fertilization treatment. Progeny 42 produced 40 ton DM ha-1 in 4 years with a total rainfall of 625 mm, the greatest production recorded to date for such a low rainfall. All studied Opuntia forage clones have high IVDMD and NDF contents but are of low quality considering their low CP content. High doses of fertilizer almost doubled the mean CP content of cladodes from the mentioned cross when it was compared with the treatment in which no fertilizer was added (7.8 and 4.3 g/100g DM, respectively). O. spinulifera appears to be the most promising species for extremely cold winter areas. During the winter of 2009, frost damage in cladodes of progenies 64, 150 and 42 was significantly lower than in those of O. ficus−indica. Progenies 46, 80, 83, of 14.0. The response of progenies from the cross O. ficus indica x O. lindheimerii Engelm. to fertilization at the highest application rate was a near 4-fold increase over the biomass of the zero fertilization treatment. Progeny 42 produced 40 ton DM ha-1 in 4 years with a total rainfall of 625 mm, the greatest production recorded to date for such a low rainfall. All studied Opuntia forage clones have high IVDMD and NDF contents but are of low quality considering their low CP content. High doses of fertilizer almost doubled the mean CP content of cladodes from the mentioned cross when it was compared with the treatment in which no fertilizer was added (7.8 and 4.3 g/100g DM, respectively). O. spinulifera appears to be the most promising species for extremely cold winter areas. During the winter of 2009, frost damage in cladodes of progenies 64, 150 and 42 was significantly lower than in those of O. ficus−indica. Progenies 46, 80, 83, -1, with 294 mm rainfall, equivalent to a rain-use efficiency (RUE) of 14.0. The response of progenies from the cross O. ficus indica x O. lindheimerii Engelm. to fertilization at the highest application rate was a near 4-fold increase over the biomass of the zero fertilization treatment. Progeny 42 produced 40 ton DM ha-1 in 4 years with a total rainfall of 625 mm, the greatest production recorded to date for such a low rainfall. All studied Opuntia forage clones have high IVDMD and NDF contents but are of low quality considering their low CP content. High doses of fertilizer almost doubled the mean CP content of cladodes from the mentioned cross when it was compared with the treatment in which no fertilizer was added (7.8 and 4.3 g/100g DM, respectively). O. spinulifera appears to be the most promising species for extremely cold winter areas. During the winter of 2009, frost damage in cladodes of progenies 64, 150 and 42 was significantly lower than in those of O. ficus−indica. Progenies 46, 80, 83, 89, 94 and O. ellisiana had zero frost damage. Plants affected by frost were significantly fewer in progenies 42, 97, 85, 150, and 64 than in those of O. ficus−indica. The other five progenies suffered no frost damage. The cactus/corn cost relationship indicates the possibility of replacing corn with cactus in small ruminant diets. fewer in progenies 42, 97, 85, 150, and 64 than in those of O. ficus−indica. The other five progenies suffered no frost damage. The cactus/corn cost relationship indicates the possibility of replacing corn with cactus in small ruminant diets. fewer in progenies 42, 97, 85, 150, and 64 than in those of O. ficus−indica. The other five progenies suffered no frost damage. The cactus/corn cost relationship indicates the possibility of replacing corn with cactus in small ruminant diets.