Fruit quality and production of cactus pear (Opuntia spp.) fruit clones selected for increased frost hardiness

The principal limitation to cultivation of cactus for fruit in the south-western United States is lack of hardiness to freezing weather. This field trial compared 22 Opuntia clones selected for increased cold hardiness, fruit yield, and fruit quality, i.e. pH, sugar content and seed content. Mexican accessions 1380, 1277, 1281 and 1300 had the highest yields averaging between 2.5 and 5.2 kg m(-2) while the Chilean clones had lower yields, yet greater sugar content and generally lower seed contents. As there is considerable aversion by first time consumers of cactus pears to seed size and number, we evaluated seed number, seed weight per fruit and weight per seed. Our trial found a considerable range in seed weight from 2.19 to 6.37 g fruit(-1). While the Chilean varieties had among the lowest seed weight per fruit (2.2 g fruit(-1)) and were similar in seed weight to the recently reported BS1 parthenocarpic clones in Israel, a few Mexican varieties were comparable. In summary, Chilean varieties were most promising for high sugar content and low seed weight per fruit. Mexican varieties with high yields did not contain high sugar. (C) 1997 Academic Press Limited.