Phytoconstituents and biological activities of Opuntia-ficus indica L. mucilage grown in tree Tunisian provenances

In recent years, the use of natural products became a big necessity in order to prevent human health and to protect the environment besides risks caused by using synthetic chemicals. However, Opuntia-ficus-indica mucilage had an ample application for ethno medicine, there is no reports focusing on their chemical composition and biological activity. In this work, we aimed to investigate, for the first time, the antioxidant activity, the total phenolic and the flavonoid contents, the antimicrobial and allelopathic activities of the mucilage extracted from Opuntia-ficus- indica rackets collected at three different ages (1, 2 and 3 years old) originated from three Tunisian provenances (Sbeitla, Matmata and Ouslatia).

Effect of supplementation by cactus on female goats

The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of barley substitution by cactus during pre-mating phase on some reproductive parameters and blood metabolites of goats.
Forty adult goats of local breed were allocated to two groups based on live their weight. Each goat of both groups received 0.9 kg of barley straw. Goats on concentrate group (CC) received in addition 425g/goats/day of a concentrate (mixture of 80% barley and 20% soybean). Goats in the cactus group (CAC) received 256g of a concentrate (mixture of 68% barley and 32% soybean) and 2600g of cactus pads. Feeding regimes were applied on the average for one sexual cycle before mating and continued until 5 weeks after.

Native Cultivars of Cactus Pear in México

Cactus pears or prickly pears (Opuntia spp. Cactaceae) are omnipresent plants of the Mexican landscape and have great historical and ethnobotanical significance. Ripe fruits and tender cladodes (pads), have been collected from the wild since pre Columbian times, and the mature cladodes are used as a forage for livestock. Opuntia originated in Central Mexico and some parts of the Caribbean region (Benson 1982; Russel and Felker 1987). Today cactus pear is a well recognized fruit crop in Mexico cultivated throughout the central semiarid highlands.

Development of a regeneration protocol through indirect organogenesis

An indirect organogenesis regeneration protocol for Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill var “Blanco sin Espinas” is described. One centimeter square cladode explants sections from previously micropropagated prickly pear plants were cultured in Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium supplemented with 20 different combinations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) and benzyladenine (BA). The best calli induc- tion and regeneration response were observed when 2.26 ␮M 2,4-D and 2.21 ␮M BA combination was applied to the nopal explants. Regenerating calli was capable of forming new buds when transferred to MS basal medium supplemented with 0.5 ␮M BA (proliferation medium).

Crop Ecology, Cultivation and Uses of Cactus Pear

Cactus crops are gaining increasing interest across the globe, in particular cactus pear (Opuntia ficus− indica), because of its unique characteristics which provide resilience to the above mentioned harsh conditions. Cactus pear is able to grow on land where no other crops are able to grow; it can be used to restore degraded land and in many countries, such as Ethiopia, it is the only crop that can be relied on when everything else fails. The crop originates in Mexico – still the largest producing and consuming country in the world – but other countries, including Morocco, Ethiopia, South Africa, Kenya, India and Pakistan, are increasing their production and use.

Forage Potential of Opuntia Clones

Short term gas exchange measurements and long term field trials have confirmed the several fold greater water to dry matter conversion efficiency of cactus than C3 and C4 plants. The protein and dry matter digestibility of Opuntia typically are in the 60 to 70% range and are on par with other high quality forages. While the protein content is low (ca. 6%), as is usually observed in unfertilized rangeland, fertilization can increase the protein to 10 to 15%. The high mineral content (4.2% Ca and 2.3% K) would appear to be beneficial to lactating animals. The high water content, maintained in drought periods, is useful in meeting animal water requirements.

Effect of Opuntia ficus indica on female goat nutrition

The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of barley substitution by cactus during pre-mating phase on some reproductive parameters and blood metabolites of goats.
Forty adult goats of local breed were allocated to two groups based on live their weight. Each goat of both groups received 0.9 kg of barley straw. Goats on concentrate group (CC) received in addition 425g/goats/day of a concentrate (mixture of 80% barley and 20% soybean). Goats in the cactus group (CAC) received 256g of a concentrate (mixture of 68% barley and 32% soybean) and 2600g of cactus pads. Feeding regimes were applied on the average for one sexual cycle before mating and continued until 5 weeks after.

Nutrient intake and utilization in sheep fed opuntia ficus indica

Range Management and Agroforestry
Year : 2018, Volume : 39, Issue : 1
First page : ( 97) Last page : ( 102)
Print ISSN : 0971-2070. Online ISSN : 2249-5231.

The nutritive value of opuntia [(Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.] in conjunction with conventional fodders was assessed on 32 adult sheep (31.00+0.85 kg body weight (BW) and 2 to 3 years in age) divided into four equal experimental groups. The experimental diets consisted of chopped (5-8 cm) Opuntia cladodes to provide 20 percent of dietary DM in conjunction with chopped green Napier (Pennisetum purpureum) grass (T1), Berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum) hay (T2), lathyrus (Lathyrus sativus) straw (T3)and gram (Cicer arietinum) straw (T4), ad libitum. All experimental animals were supplemented 200 g concentrate supplement per head daily.

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