The Prickly Pear (Φραγκοσυκιά - έκδοση στα αγγλικά)

The Prickly Pear

The arid region occupies nearly 12 per cent of land surface of the country and is spread over in the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh. Karnataka and Maharashtra. Rajasthan occupies the maximum area of arid region having limited soruces of irrigation. The climate conditions are hostile having low and erratic rainfall, high wind velocity, high evapo-transpiration and intense solar radiation. Nevertheless, the region has great potential of growing different indigenous and exotic fruit plants which provide nutrition and income security to the people of Thar desert. Due to failure of rains, crop cultivation is risky and uneconomic. Being perennial, fruits plant are drought hardy and thrive well in arid zone. The geophysical and agro-climatic conditions of the region necessitated the introduction of new fruit crops and to develop suitable agro-techniques for sustainable argicultural production in this region. Cactus pear (Opuntia ficus indica Mill.) also known as prickly pear is a crop of multiple uses. It plays an ecological role in soil conservation as well as producing edible fruits and vegetable (nopalitos) for human consumption, forage for livestock and several other value added products. Opuntia ficus indica is a xerophytic, succulent spiny or spineless type, CAM (Crassulacean Acid Metabolism) plant. However, for fruit and vegetable (cladode) production, proper fertigation is necessary. Considering its economic potential, suitable types/ cultivars, package of practices, plant protection measures and post harvest technology have been detailed in this book. Since, the crop has been introduced in the country in recent past, the research work on this crop is still lacking. The future strategy and thrust areas to popularize and increasing the fruit production have been projected in the text which will be helpful to the research workers and farmers as well.
Authors are highly grateful to Dr. G.B. Raturi, Director, Central Institute for Arid Horticulture (CIAH), Bikaner for his help and encouragement. Thanks are also due to the scientists and staff of CIAH, Bikaner for their help aud co-operation. Mr. M.K.Jain and Mr. B.R. Khatri deserve special thanks for type setting of the manscript and Mr. Sanjay Patil for photographs used in the book.

Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION
3. AREA AND PRODUCTION
4. COMPOSITION AND USES
a. Fresh fruit
b. Fruit produce
c. Vegetable
d. Fodder and feed
e. Medicinal uses
f. Industrial uses
g. Other uses
h. Nutritive Value
5. TAXONOMY
a. Cultivated species (Subgenus Opuntia)
i. Opuntia albicarpa sp. nov
ii. Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill
iii. Opuntia robusta Wendl
b. Cultivated species (Subgenus Nopalea)
c. Wild species (Subgenus Opuntia)
i. Opuntia hyptiacantha Web
ii. Opuntia joconostle Web
iii. Opuntia lindheimeri Engelm
iv. Opuntia matudae Schemv
v. Opuntia sarca Griff
vi. Opuntia streptacantha Lem
vii. Opuntia tomentosa SD
6. BOTANY
a. Root system
i. Skeletal roots
ii. Absorbing roots
iii. Root spurs
iv. Roots developing from areoles
b. Cladode
c. Epidermis
d. Stomata
e. Areoles
f. Cortex and Pith
g. Vascular tissue
h. The flower
i. Pollen grain
j. Fruit and seed
7. CULTIVARS
8. SOIL AND CLIMATE
9. PROPAGATION
10. PLANTING
11. ORCHARD MANAGEMENT
a. Water Management
b. Nutrient Management
c. Weed Management
d. Training and pruning
i. Training
ii. Pruning
iii. Rejuvenation
12. FLOWERING AND FRUITING
a. Fruit development
13. PEST MANAGEMENT
a. Phycitid moth
i. Occurrence
ii. Life Cycle
iii. Nature of damage
iv. Control
b. Cochineal
i. Occurrence
ii. Life Cycle
iii. Nature of damage
iv. Control
c. Armoured scales
i. Occurrence
ii. Life cycle
iii. Nature of damage
iv. Control
14. DISEASE MANAGEMENT
a. Bacterial spot
i. Causal organisms
ii. Symptom
iii. Control
b. Armillaria root and stem rot
i. Causal organism
ii. Symptom
iii. Control
c. Foot rot
i. Causal organism
ii. Symptom
iii. Control
d. Wilt
i. Causal organism
ii. Control
15. HARVESTING AND YIELD
a. Postharvest management
b. Nopalitos
16. FUTURE RESEARCH STRATEGY AND THRUST AREAS
17. REFERENCES
18. INDEX