Effects of herbicides and cultivation on the growth ofOpuntiain plantations

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Abstract
Summary Landraces of the genus Opuntia (Cactaceae) are important in semi-arid regions of the Mediterranean area and in Mexico, Argentina, and Chile where they provide animal fodder, and fruits and vegetable material for human use. There is little literature on current cultivars or horticultural practices for use in these plantings. Opuntia plantations when not cultivated have a low productivity. Due to the great reduction in cactus growth by weeds and the tediousness in hand weeding spiny cactus germplasm collections, herbicides were evaluated for use in Opuntia plantings. Multiple combinations of eight herbicides (hexazinone, tebuthiuron, simazine, diuron, bromacil, oryzalin, oxyfluorfen, and metolachlor) and a mechanical cultivation treatment were examined for their effect on the biomass production and survival of Opuntia lindheimeri. The vegetative cover measured 7 months from planting ranged from 0.1% to 83%. Biomass was measured by complete harvest 14 months after planting and ranged from 511 kg ha−1 for the metolachlor treatment to 6 480 kg ha−1 for the hexazinone 8 kg a.i. ha−1 treatment. There was good agreement between the absence of grass plus forb cover 7 months after planting and the final biomass harvest. The survivals ranged from a low of 85% for metolachlor to 100% with 3 herbicides. Soil sterilant herbicides such as hexazinone, tebuthiuron, and simazine produced the greatest biomass but caution should be exercised in using these herbicides on other Opuntia species. Glyphosate at 20 g 1−1 is not phytoxic to Opuntia.

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