Abstract

FERNANDEZ PAVIA, Yolanda Leticia; GARCIA CUE, José Luis; LOPEZ JIMENEZ, Alfredo  and  MORA AGUILERA, Gustavo. Nutritional deficiencies induction in nopal (Opuntia ficus indica (L.). Rev. Mex. Cienc. Agríc [online]. 2015, vol.6, n.6, pp.1417-1422. ISSN 2007-0934.

This research aimed to analyze the visual and nutritional symptoms in nopal (Opuntia ficus indica (L.), through induction of nutritional deficiencies by the missing element technique under hydroponic conditions. In order to meet this objetive, we planned to work in a greenhouse of the Graduate College in the State of Mexico, from June 2008 until the plants searched nutritional deficiencies were observed. Plant materials used were cladodes a year from the production area of Tlalnepantla, Morelos, which were dried and transplanted into pots with tezontle for promoting their rooting. 11 treatments of different nutrient solutions were tested with three replicates each, each pot was an experimental unit and treatments were distributed according to a completely randomized design. Data were analyzed through an ANOVA with means comparison test of Tukey (α= 0.05). In the results, it is quite important that the plants showed nutritional deficiencies at 13 months into the experiment; observing morphological differences in the presence or absence of subulate leaves and their coloring, highlighting the treatment that did not contain nitrogen. Also, significant difference in number of pads, dry weight and nutrient concentration were observed. It is concluded that this methodology works for inducing macro-nutrient deficiency.

Keywords : Opuntia ficus indica; hydroponics; nutrient concentrations.

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