An evaluation study of some cultivars of prickly pear Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. distributed in northern Latakia.

Abstract

This study characterized the morphological and chemical traits and to assess the extent of variation among a few cultivars of (Opuntia ficus-indica) collected from different regions of Latakia and subsequently cultivated at the Agricultural Research Station in Kassab during the period 2017–2021. The main objective was to identify cultivars with superior qualitative traits for future genetic improvement programs and to promote their cultivation. A total of 20 morphological traits were evaluated, and the results confirmed the potential to discriminate among the studied cultivars based on specific characteristics, particularly cladode size, fruit attributes, and yield potential. Cluster analysis of fruit-related traits revealed the highest differentiation (35%). Furthermore, chemical analysis demonstrated that the purple cultivar (C3) exhibited the highest fruit vitamin C content (28.33 mg/100 g fresh weight) and showed greater frost tolerance (based on the internationally recognized standard descriptor scale (FAO), through visual assessment of forst-induced damage on both young and mature cladodes), compared with cultivars C1 and C2. Overall, the findings highlight the presence of distinct morphological and chemical differences among the studied cultivars, underscoring their potential as valuable resources for breeding and genetic improvement programs in the future.