Initial development of buds using 1/2 and 1/6 of cladodes in the propagation of forage palm Nopalea cochenillifera var. miúda

Abstract

This study evaluated the effect of two fragmentation size of cladodes (1/2 e 1/6 do cladodes) on the development of new buds in the propagation of palm forage var. miúda (Nopalea cochenillifera, Salm Dyck). Four treatments were used: T1/2 (used one of the halves of cladodes longitudinally sectioned), Tsup (used the upper third of the other half cladode longitudinally sectioned), Tmed (used the middle third) and Tinf (used the lower third), planted in two liters containers with soil:cattle manure (1:1) and maintained in greenhouse. The treatments were evaluated for the percentage of viable fragments, number of buds/fragment, length, width and estimated area of sprouted cladodes at 45 days post-planting of the fragments. All fragments of T1/2 treatment remain viable against 73.3% of the other treatments. All viable fragments of the treatments used presented 01 bud/fragment. The cladodes obtained in T1/2 were higher to the other treatments for length (P = 0,002), width (P = 0,001) and estimated area (P = 0,001), but there were no differences between treatments Tsup, Tmed and Tinf. Positive linear correlation (P=0,001) was observed between the weight of the fragments used in the treatments with the length (r=0,899), width (r=0,842) and area estimated the cladodes (r=0,910). The use of 1/2 and 1/6 of cladodes fragments proved to be feasible in the propagation of Nopalea cochenillifera var. miúda.