Yield and survival rate of ‘gigante’ cactus pear under regulated deficit irrigation using wastewater

This study aimed to evaluate the yield and survival rate of 'Gigante' cactus pear (Opuntia fícus indica) cultivated with regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) using wastewater under semiarid soil and climatic conditions. The experiment was carried out between October 2015 and August 2017 at Instituto Federal Baiano, campus Guanambi, Brazil. The treatments were as follows: no fertilization and no irrigation (T1); no fertilization and RDI with wastewater (0.6 L plant-1 week-1) (T2); no fertilization and RDI with wastewater (1.2 L plant-1 week-1, applied once a week) (T3); no fertilization and RDI with wastewater (1.2 L plant-1 week-1, divided into two applications per week) (T4) with organic fertilization (60 Mg ha-1 of bovine manure) and RDI with common water (1.2 L plant-1week-1) (T5) and with organic fertilization (60 Mg ha-1 of bovine manure) and no irrigation (T6). The treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with five replicates. Based on the results, we concluded that (i) regulated deficit irrigation using wastewater increased the productivity of 'Gigante' cactus pear when compared to the rainfed crop and (ii) the application of 0.6 L plant-1 week-1 was sufficient to increase the survival rate of 'Gigante' cactus pear under prolonged drought conditions.