Abstract
The objective was to evaluate the structural and production characteristics of
Opuntia stricta
(Cactus pear Orelha de Elefante Mexicana) and
Nopalea cochenillifera
(Cactus pear Miúda) under different arrangements of caatinga trees. The study was carried out at the Teaching, Research and Extension Unit (UEPE) of the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Ceará (IFCE), Limoeiro do Norte Campus, state of Ceará. The experimental area consisted of nine systems, arranged in strips of Caatinga trees (woody component), with dimensions of 6.0 × 100.0 m, directed in the north–south direction. Among the tree strips,
Opuntia stricta
and
Nopalea cochenillifera
were implanted in plots, according to the following treatments: cactus pear grown under 46.15% woody cover (ICS46; 1418 trees per hectare), cactus pear grown under 30.00% woody cover (ICS30; 925 trees per hectare) and cactus pear grown under 17.64% woody cover (ICS18; 524 trees per hectare). The experimental design was completely randomized, in a split-plot arrangement. Mean canopy height (H), number of cladodes per linear meter (NC) and total forage biomass (TFB) were evaluated, considering the east, center and west positions. The lowest H and NC was found for
Nopalea cochenillifera
in the east position.
Nopalea cochenillifera
and
Opuntia stricta
cultivated in system ICS46 had the lowest TFB in the center position. The silvopastoral systems ICS30 and ICS18 can be adopted without negatively affecting the structural and productive characteristics of cactus pears
Opuntia stricta
and
Nopalea cochenillifera
.