Juan Antonio Reyes-Agüero

Hydroponic Cactus Pear Production, Productivity and Quality of Nopalito and Fodder

The use of cactus pear for producing young cladodes (nopalitos) and fodder represent an attractive option to intensify plant production in arid and semi-arid regions. Nopalitos are considered functional food (Saenz et al., 2004) and are used in Mexico since pre-Columbian times (Anaya, 2001). The adjective functional is due to additionally to the nutrient supplies, it provides health benefits and contributes to the prevention of some diseases (Saenz et al., 2004) as is evidenced by results of investigations on the control of cholesterol and the prevention of some diseases like diabetes and obesity (Paiz et al., 2010; Saenz, 2000). Nopalitos are served with meals, similar to green beans (Stintzing, 2005). Nopalitos of Opuntia are produced and consumed in temperate and dry regions while nopalitos of Nopalea genera are used in warm regions of Mexico (Sanchez-Venegas, 1995). Alternatively, fodder of cactus pear is significant in some regions of the world, mostly during the dry season of the year (Flores & Aguirre, 1979; Gonzaga and Cordeiro, 2005). Fodder nutrient quality studies on Opuntia and Nopalea cladodes show variations among species, variants, growth stage of the sprouts and agronomic handling (Lopez-Garcia et al., 2001; Nefzaoui & Ben Salem, 2001; Pinos-Rodriguez et al., 2006) and it has been stated that they have high carbohydrate and water content but have low nutrient and fiber content (Lopez-Garcia et al., 2001). Furthermore, nutritional potential of cactus pear to mitigate feed and water shortages in dry areas were demonstrated by Tegegnea et al. (2007).

Use and Conservation of the Threatened Brazilian National Tree Paubrasilia echinata Lam.: A Potential for Rio de Janeiro State?

Several native and endemic tree species of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil, especially precious wood species, are highly endangered. In consequence, the legal extraction from wild forests is completely forbidden, and legal extraction from plantations is strictly regulated. Among them is Paubrasilia echinata Lam. – in Portuguese pau-brasil – Brazil’s national tree. Its precious wood is used worldwide as raw material for high-quality violin bows. For professional musicians, alternative wood species in violin bows are rarely accepted, even though some of them have been proven to meet the high technical standards of wood characteristics which pau-brasil guarantees. As an alternative solution to cover future wood demand, commercial pau-brasil plantations have been established and supported by violin makers, bow makers, and musicians. While several plantation types with pau-brasil exist, such as monospecific and mixed tree plantations and agroforestry systems, there is poor understanding concerning their long-term productivity, wood quality, and economic return. In order to guarantee continuous supply of planted pau-brasil for future wood markets and for these plantations to be sustainable, it is essential to identify potential ecological, economic, legal, and social assets and constraints including the potential contribution of wood supply by pau-brasil plantations. The presented data originate from a field study in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil with detailed inventories of nine plantations in Southern Bahia and Espirito Santo. Based on these data we discuss the future pau-brasil wood markets and estimate the conservation and utilization potential of pau-brasil for the state of Rio de Janeiro, the southernmost range of the species.

Description of the Fruit of Nopalea cochenillifera (L.) Salm-Dyck Sold in the Traditional Market of Rioverde, San Luis Potosí, Mexico

Abstract: There are nine species of Nopalea and the most widely distributed is N. cochenillifera (L.) Salm-Dyck. This species and its wild congeners inhabit dry and subhumid tropical and subtropical regions in western and eastern Mexico down to Panama. In Mexico, its tender, young cladodes (known locally as nopalitos) and flower buds (tunitas) are eaten as vegetables, its developed cladodes are used as forage in different parts of the world, and the plants are used as living fences and also as ornamentals. The fruits of N. cochenillifera have received little attention in the specialized literature; therefore, the purpose of this note is to describe a set of fruits that was bought in a traditional market in San Luis Potosí, México. The fruits of N. cochenillifera were, on average, two centimeters shorter than those reported in the literature; by weight, the pulp accounted for 45.70 % on average, the peel 48.07 % and the seeds 6.23 %. Mean sweetness was 10.62 oBrix, somewhat lower than that of Opuntia cultivars, which is 12.95. Due to the lack of abortive seeds, we infer that the fruit of Nopalea have been of little interest to humans.