Estimating the area and weight of cactus forage cladodes using linear dimensions

Abstract

The forage palm is one of the main forages of ruminants in semiarid regions. Measurements of leaf area are required in agronomic studies because they are one of the main parameters used to evaluate plant growth. The objective of this study was to validate and define the best models for estimating the area and weight of Giant Sweet clone (Nopalea cochenillifera) forage cladodes in a non-destructive way based on the linear dimensions of length, width and thickness. There were 432 randomly measured cladodes at 550 days after planting. The length, width and thickness of each cladode were measured using a digital calliper. The cladodes were weighed individually. The cladode area was calculated by the gravimetric method. The power regression model was the most efficient method to explain the cladode area as a function of the product of length by width, while the gamma model was the most efficient method to explain the weight of cladodes as a function of the product of length by width and thickness. The power model, and gamma model, = 0.536T + 0.028LW, were used to determine the area and weight of Nopalea cochenillifera Giant Sweet clone cladodes, respectively, based on the values of linear dimensions measured independently of the order of the cladode.

Alkaline Hydrogen Peroxide Pretreatment of Cladodes of Cactus (Opuntia Ficus-Indica) for Biogas Production

“…The mean total carbon content was 33.5 AE 0.03% and the total nitrogen was 1.2 AE 0.02% with a corresponding carbon and nitrogen ratio (C/N) of 27.9. The C/N ratio obtained in this study is within the recommended range (20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30) for biogas generating microbial consortiums [27]. The AHP pretreated cladodes of cactus used in this study contained 12.51 AE 1.25 to 12.50 AE 1.84% cellulose, 16.34 AE 2.93% to 13.63 AE 3.23% hemicellulose, and 10.45 AE 2.31% to 7.43 AE 3.05% lignin (Table 3).…”

Alkaline hydrogen peroxide pretreatment of cladodes of cactus (opuntia ficus-indica) for biogas production

“…This is same range of the reported values of Opuntia Ficus Indica, 12–29 cm, and 24–67 cm for cladode width and height respectively [ 21 ] and [ 2 ]. The greenish color of the cladode suggests that the opuntia samples analyzed in this study were young (1–2 years) [ 2 , 22 ], and [ 23 ]. It has been reported that the physicochemical composition of opuntia can vary depending on the species of the plant and the climate of where they were grown [ 24 ].…”

Allometric models to estimate peanuts leaflets area by non-destructive method

“…In addition, the approach to leaf area estimation by these methods covers studies with pepper (Yeshitila and Taye 2016), cactus forage (Lucena et al 2021), cocoa (Salazar et al 2018), fava beans (Peksen 2007), and mango (Ghoreishi et al 2012). However, for a critical evaluation of models to estimate the leaf area, it is necessary to use many leaves or leaflets to validate the model (Hernandéz-Fernandez et al 2021).…”