Plant height and mineral content of Opuntia tapona growing along the coasts of Baja California Sur, México

Alejandra Nieto-Garibay; Enrique Troyo-Diéguez; Ricardo David Valdez-Cepeda; Edgar Rueda-Puente; José Luis García-Hernández; Arnoldo Flores-Hernández; Sergio Zamora–Salgado; Ignacio Orona–Castillo; Bernardo Murillo–Amador

doi:10.56890/jpacd.v13i.91

Authors

Alejandra Nieto-Garibay 1Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C.Marbermejo No. 195, Col. Playa Palo de Santa Rita, Apdo. Postal 128. CP 23090. La Paz, Baja California Sur, México.
Enrique Troyo-Diéguez 1Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C.Marbermejo No. 195, Col. Playa Palo de Santa Rita, Apdo. Postal 128. CP 23090. La Paz, Baja California Sur, México.
Ricardo David Valdez-Cepeda 2Universidad Autónoma Chapingo. Centro Regional Universitario Centro Norte. Calle Cruz del Sur No. 100, Col. Constelación.CP 98085. Zacatecas, Zac.,México.
Edgar Rueda-Puente 3Universidad de Sonora. Unidad Regional Norte, Campus Santa Ana, Ave. Universidad e Irigoyen s/n, Col. Ortiz, H. Caborca, Sonora, México.
José Luis García-Hernández 4Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango. Constitución 404 Sur, Zona Centro. CP 34000. Venecia, Durango, México.
Arnoldo Flores-Hernández 5Universidad Autónoma Chapingo. Unidad Regional Universitaria de Zonas Áridas. Carr. GómezPalacio–Ciudad Juárez.CP 35230. Bermejillo, Durango, México.
Sergio Zamora–Salgado 6Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur. Carr. al Sur Km 5.5, Apdo. Postal 19–B.CP 23080. La Paz, Baja California Sur, México.
Ignacio Orona–Castillo 4Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango. Constitución 404 Sur, Zona Centro. CP 34000. Venecia, Durango, México.
Bernardo Murillo–Amador 1Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C.Marbermejo No. 195, Col. Playa Palo de Santa Rita, Apdo. Postal 128. CP 23090. La Paz, Baja California Sur, México.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56890/jpacd.v13i.91

Keywords:

sodium, chloride, salinity tolerance, plant breeding, biodiversity, conservation

Abstract

Salinity remains one of the world’s oldest and most serious environmental problems affecting agricultural production. Opuntia species can support strong droughts and abrupt changes of temperature, but they are sensitive to salt concentration in the soil solution or irrigation water. The objective of the present study was to take samples of wild Opuntia plants along the coasts of Baja California Sur to measure mineral contents, and to identify possible salt–tolerant genetic materials relating those minerals associated with salt–tolerance such as sodium and chloride. Fourteen sites were located in two transects along Baja California Sur coasts to identify wild prickly pear “nopaleras”. Plant height and Ca, Mg, K, Na, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Cl, N, P and B of Opuntia tapona plants were evaluated in cladodes and roots. The results showed significant differences in plant height and minerals between sample sites and mineral between tissues. All minerals showed higher content (P<0.05) in cladodes than roots. The probably effect of marine breeze on mineral content of O. tapona is discussed in this manuscript. We concluded that is necessary to measure the marine breeze chemical and soil physical–chemical properties to determine the effect of these factors in mineral content, growth and morphological characteristics of wild prickly pear in Baja California Sur.