Opuntia ficus-indica

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Opuntia ficus-indica
Opuntia ficus-indica with fruits

Opuntia ficus-indica with fruits

Systematics
Order : Clove-like (Caryophyllales)
Family : Cactus family (Cactaceae)
Subfamily : Opuntioideae
Tribe : Opuntieae
Genre : Opuntia ( Opuntia )
Type : Opuntia ficus-indica
Scientific name
Opuntia ficus-indica
( L. ) Mill.
blossom

Opuntia ficus-indica is a species of plant in the genus Opuntia ( Opuntia ) from the cactus family(Cactaceae). The specific epithet ficus-indica means Indian fig . The fruits, often referred to as prickly pears ,and the young shoots are edible and are part of standard Mexican cuisine .

Opuntia ficus-indica was voted Cactus of the Year 2019 by the cactus societies of the three German-speaking countries Germany ( DKG ), Austria ( GÖK ) and Switzerland ( SKG ) .

description

Opuntia ficus-indica grows shrubby or tree-like and reaches heights of between 1 and 6 meters. Usually a clear trunk of up to 35 centimeters is present. The differently shaped green shoot sections are narrow to broad, obovate or elongated. They are 20 to 60 inches long and 10 to 25 inches wide. The narrow elliptical areoles are 2 to 5 centimeters apart. They are studded with brown or yellow glochids that soon fall off. The thorns are inconspicuous and are often completely absent.

The flowers are terminal on the shoot, are yellow to red and have a diameter of 5 to 10 centimeters. The egg-shaped to elongated, yellow-green, orange or red fruits are 6 to 10 centimeters long. They are set with glochids and sometimes with thorns .

The number of chromosomes is 2n = 22, 55 or 88.

Distribution, systematics and endangerment

Opuntia ficus-indica is believed to come from Mexico . Due to the long cultivation of the species, the original range is not known. The species is wild in South America , Australia , the Mediterranean and Macaronesia . Molecular genetic studies suggest that Opuntia ficus-indica is a domesticated form of Opuntia megacantha .

The first description as Cactus ficus-indica was made in 1753 by Carl von Linné . Philip Miller placed the species in the genus Opuntia in 1768 .

In the Red List of Threatened Species of the IUCN , the species is called " Data Deficient (DD) ", i. H. with insufficient data.

use

The inside of the fruit is consumed with the also edible seeds. Depending on the variety, the yellow-green or yellow-orange to red pulp has a sweet and sour taste. The fruit can be enjoyed raw or processed as a jam or as a liqueur. Oil (prickly pear seed oil) can also be pressed from the dried seeds, which is used for cosmetic products and as edible oil . The young green shoot sections are used as vegetables in Mexico and Central America (Nopalitos, Nopales).

Production areas

Opuntia ficus-indica is cultivated in numerous regions in fruit-growing , for use as animal feed or to obtain the color carmine . It is the only type of opuntia grown in the Mediterranean .

Fruit growing

Opuntia ficus-indica is the most commonly cultivated Opuntia species in fruit growing worldwide. The main producer with 300,000 tons annually , which are grown on almost 70,000 hectares , is Mexico . The second most important country is Italy . More than 96% of the cultivated area in Sicily is located there . The Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (ISTAT) showed a total area of ​​8,300 hectares with a yield of 87,000 tons in 2011. It is followed by South Africa with 15,000 tons on around 1500 hectares, Chile with over 8000 tons on around 1100 hectares and Argentina with 7500 tons on 800 hectares. Opuntia ficus-indica is cultivated on a small scale in numerous other countries for fruit production.

For carmine extraction

In Peru , cultivation and wild growth is strongly geared towards breeding the cochineal scale insect. It is estimated to be 30-40 thousand hectares, mainly in Andean valleys in the regions of Ayacucho , Huancavelica , Apurímac , Arequipa , Ancash , Lima and Moquegua .

As feed

In Brazil, around 40,000 hectares are grown mainly for fodder. In Chile there are about a thousand hectares.

proof

literature

  • Edward F. Anderson : The Great Cactus Lexicon . Eugen Ulmer KG, Stuttgart 2005, ISBN 3-8001-4573-1 , p. 459 .
  • Filadelfio Basile: Economic aspects of Italian cactus pear production and market . In: Journal of the Professional Association for the Cactus Development . Volume 4, 2001, pp. 31-49 ( PDF )

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Opuntia ficus-indica at Tropicos.org. In: IPCN Chromosome Reports . Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis
  2. ↑ M. Labra, F. Grassi, M. Bardini, S. Imazio, A. Guiggi, S. Citterio, E. Banfi, S. Sgorbati: Genetic relationships in Opuntia mill. genus (Cactaceae) detected by molecular marker . In: Plant Science . Volume 165, No. 5, 2003, pp. 1129-1136 ( doi: 10.1016 / S0168-9452 (03) 00321-2 ).
  3. ↑ Carl von Linné: Species Plantarum . Volume 1, Lars Salvius, Stockholm 1753, p. 468.
  4. ^ Philip Miller: Gardeners Dictionary . 8th edition, London 1768 (without page numbers).
  5. ^ Opuntia ficus-indica in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014.3. Posted by: Arreola, H., Ishiki, M. & Terrazas, T., 2013. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
  6. ↑ Sabine Krist: Lexicon of vegetable fats and oils. 2nd edition, Springer, 2013, ISBN 978-3-7091-1004-1 , pp. 323–328.
  7. ↑ Carmen Sáenz u. a .: Utilización agroindustrial del nopal. Boletín de Servicios Agrícolas de la FAO, 162, FAO, 2006, ISBN 978-92-5-305518-0 , p. 85.
  8. ↑ Carmen Sáenz et al .: Agro-industrial utilization of cactus pear . Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome 2013, ISBN 978-92-5-107987-4 , p. 4.
  9. ↑ Carmen Sáenz et al .: Agro-industrial utilization of cactus pear . Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome 2013, ISBN 978-92-5-107987-4 , p. 21
  10. ^ Filadelfio Basile: Economic aspects of Italian cactus pear production and market . In: Journal of the Professional Association for the Cactus Development . Volume 4, 2001, p. 31
  11. ^ G. Timpanaro, A. Urso, D. Spampinato, VT Foti: Cactus Pear Market in Italy: Competitiveness and Perspectives . In: Acta horticulturae . Volume 1067, 2015 ( doi: 10.17660 / ActaHortic.2015.1067.56 )
  12. ^ Filadelfio Basile: Economic aspects of Italian cactus pear production and market . In: Journal of the Professional Association for the Cactus Development . Volume 4, 2001, p. 31

further reading

  • Gary N. Ervin: Indian Fig Cactus (Opuntia Ficus-Indica (L.) Miller) in the Americas: an Uncertain History . In: Haseltonia . Number 17, 2012, pp. 70-81 ( doi: 10.2985 / 1070-0048-17.1.9 ).
  • M. Patrick Griffith: The origins of an important cactus crop, Opuntia ficus-indica (Cactaceae): new molecular evidence . In: American Journal of Botany . Volume 91, 2004, pp. 1915-1921 ( online ).
  • Youssef El Kharrassi, Mouaad Amine Mazri, Hamid Benyahia, Hassan Benaouda, Boubker Nasser, El Houssine El Mzouri, 'Fruit and juice characteristics of 30 accessions of two cactus pear species (Opuntia ficus indica and Opuntia megacantha) from different regions of Morocco', 2016, LWT - Food Science and Technology
  • Candelario Mondragón-Jacobo, Salvador Pérez-González (eds.): Cactus (Opuntia spp.) As Forage. FAO Plant Production and Protection Paper 169 . Rome 2001, ISBN 92-5-104705-7 . (on-line)
  • Carmen Sáenz et al .: Agro-industrial utilization of cactus pear . Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome 2013, ISBN 978-92-5-107987-4 ( PDF ).
  • HG Zimmermann, VC Moran: Biological control of prickly pear, Opuntia ficusindica (Cactaceae), in South Africa . In: Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment . Volume 37, Numbers 1-3, 1991, pp. 29-35 ( doi: 10.1016 / 0167-8809 (91) 90137-M ).

Web links

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