Prickly Pear Cactus - Research Program Overview

[@zp944]

Greetings from Texas. I found a prickly pear cactus with about 3 pads loosely growing in some rock while taking a walk in the woods. Decided to bring it home and plant it. It's been about 2 years now, and it has gone from 3 pads to about 20. Soon as spring came this year, it started growing bulbs. And about a month later they started to open up into these really nice looking, fist sized yellow flowers. There's about 30 of them. Had no idea what type of cactus this was until I looked it up after flowering. I'm gonna use your tips and hope I get some fruit!

[@anangfirmansyah8981]

Very Innovative Program

[@OSORIO_VIDEOS615]

Good information am growing cactus to greetings from Tennessee

[@igaudion973]

so fascinating. I have these in australia (where they grow so out of control all but one species is illegal)

[@igaudion973]

@Adam Greene Thank you this is really interesting!!!!

[@jamalwalker2104]

I love cactus. I currently have six opuntia.

[@saharavaithaandathaottagam]

Nice

[@conradsmith4696]

Have you considered just growing the Opuntia in colder climates. I am a student in the University System of The State of Maryland, and I am investigating cold hardy prickly pears on the side. My state has recently had droughts and the eastern penninsula has perfect soils for opuntia. We have a native prickly pear which produces large cladodes, and large flavorful fruit and seems to have superb cold hardiness down to zone 7a and below and remarkable moisture tolerance. Neither the cactoblastus moth or mealy bugs are an issue for us, as our winters kill them, but the plant seems to be undamaged by even 10F or below.

[@nicholasniechayev4037]

We sure do. Opuntia ellisiana is our main cold tolerant variety. Most cold tolerant Opuntia have the trade-off of being smaller and low lying, but there are some interesting exceptions. Do you know what the species is that you are referring to?

[@conradsmith4696]

Most people refer to it as "Opuntia humifusa", however I can confirm that it is definitely not Opuntia humifusa. I suspect it may be some allopolyploid between Opuntia tunoidea and Opuntia ellisania or some other species.

[@nicholasniechayev4037]

@@conradsmith4696 Interesting. We are finding that Opuntia spp. occur on a wide continuum of ploidy. If you'd be willing to send your accession to us we would be happy to add to our collection. We are willing to share our resources as well if you are interested.

[@bendodd5167]

@@nicholasniechayev4037 I dont know who this Nick Niechayev guy is but he seems real smart.

[@conradsmith4696]

@@nicholasniechayev4037 I might be able to send you some. Feel free to reach out to me. I can give you my college email if you'd prefer. I can also be reached at [e-mail] or through the site at capitalcacti.com I collected samples from 5 or so locations, two in D.C. one in Arlington, one in the northern peninsula of Virginia and one from northern south Carolina, however the internet is littered with pictures placing this "mysterious" species from Northern-central Maryland (zone 6a/6b), Appalachian Virginia and New Jersey to South Carolina (8a/8b). I currently have developed small "stands" from the samples collected at each location, in the hopes that I will have genetically distinct lines. Currently I suspect that the species is *most likely* Opuntia tunoidea, as it seems to fit the appearance and distribution. (but opuntia play so fast and lose with hybridization its always tricky) I have yet so far to observe a single cactoblastus moth infestation. I know I am certainly not the first to observe this species' wide distribution, but it is often misidentified. In any event, it may hold a good deal of promise for agriculture/industry due to its tenacious, adaptive, moisture and cold tolerant nature and good fruit/pad quality.

[@darekdarek4532]

Super pozdrawiam Polska

[@yallainrite3658]

My wife and I are growing a cutting of a Nopal in eastern Washington. It stays comfortable hot here in the summer but terribly cold in the winter. If brought indoor in the winter, how best can it be cared for inside? Also, is there a way to inspire new pad growth? It immediately grew 4 new pads within one month but three were on one side. Is there any use trimming old prunings or cleaning up those ugly old wounds? Any advice would be appreciated.

[@estebancorral5151]

Why are trying to reinvent the wheel? Many of the those questions were answered scientifically 35 years ago. Why can’t you talk to your counterparts in Mexican universities? The biomass yield of opuntia was empirically by none other than Luther Burbank in California 111 years ago.

[@nicholasniechayev4037]

We use Luther Burbank's accessions. In fact many of the lines shown in this video originally came from his collection and are referenced in our work. Still much work to do in understanding abiotic responses and disease resistance. We are further improving the wheel not reinventing it.

[@estebancorral5151]

@@nicholasniechayev4037 one abiotic factor you should be looking into is zinc. Can you elaborate on that?

[@nicholasniechayev4037]

@@estebancorral5151 Zinc is certainly limited in highly weathered desert soils that have low cation exchange capacities. Not much research has been done on zinc response though because you only need trace amounts to avoid chlorosis. Nutrient responses in general are not well studied in Cacti, and this is something I was was working on intensely as a grad student.

[@estebancorral5151]

@@nicholasniechayev4037 zinc deficiency increase geometrically if not logarithmically in a monoculture of Opuntia Ficus Indica. The answer is clear a polyculture which includes not only the Opuntia but also Mesquite, Huizache, and pollenators I.e. bats, bees & ants.

[@Anushka.Samaranyaka.]

Hello can you tell me the sceincetific name of this cactus ?

[@kimarioedifesta4161]

Good

[@mohammadtaheri7460]

Hi! What is the best variety for fruit?

[@Hansulf]

I want to know too! I read the Reyna is the best one...

[@angelozicarelli541]

I wonder if they are researching the Arizona saguaro cactus (Carnegia Gigantea) for preservation and reproduction in their ecosystem. Maybe they can genetically modify them to grow faster and become more resilient.

[@filologo1]

Central America? Really? Nopal grows mainly north of the tropics and semi arid lands of the high plateau in Mexico

[@gabrielbarcelo5233]

How can i raise acidity on the prickle pear juice?

[@nicholasniechayev4037]

Harvest it in the early morning, and also process in early morning. Acidity will be much higher than at dusk.

[@josephpuentes4160]

How did you all rule out a mycological cause?

[@kienwenchang7108]

Oriental dried fruit snacks！

[@krishnaRVS]

Also research on indian varieties

[@filologo1]

It is not “opuntia” but NOPAL, from the Nahuatl, “nopalli” or “nopactli.”

[@nicholasniechayev4037]

Opuntia is the Latin scientific terminology for the plant genus required in publication. Nopal is common name, even if it has more precedence.

[@matthewcain2880]

Learn from the indigenous of your area

[@filologo1]

These people need to do more research to avoid spreading misinformation 😖

[@kienwenchang7108]

Hey Canada entrepreneurs，desert land is cheap。 America has big landmass desert。

[@honeybadger...]

Stop cutting them

[@filologo1]

Irrigation for nopal? 😂😂😂 They grow in the desert without water

[@nicholasniechayev4037]

Water is still number one limitation of production even for cactus. Especially in American deserts. You can get 5 fold yield increases with additional irrigation.