Cultivation techniques of Edible Cactus

Cactus, also known as cactus, dragon tongue, Guanyin and so on, is native to the arid desert regions of tropical America, with a wide variety of species and wide distribution. according to statistics, there are more than 2000 species of cactus belonging to 140 genera in the world. Mexico is the main distribution area of cactus, which is very rich in plant resources and is known as the kingdom of cactus, while edible cactus is a new variety that can be used for vegetables, fruits and medicines after years of breeding. Edible cactus ranks fifth in the vegetable output in Mexico and has become one of the widely edible vegetables.

Growth habit

Edible cactus is a perennial plant, like sunshine, drought tolerance, barren tolerance, but not cold tolerance, avoid waterlogging; few thorns or no thorns on the stem, stem nodes are flat, oval, palm area of about 15 cm × 40 cm.

Edible and medicinal value

According to the analysis results of China vegetable system Engineering Technology Research Center, the nitrogen content and crude protein content of Milpa Alta cactus are basically the same as those of cabbage, lettuce, cucumber and other vegetables, and belong to vegetables with low protein content. The contents of water-soluble amino acids, cellulose, vitamin C, β-carotene and soluble sugar are not too high. Citric acid and malic acid are the main organic acids, and oxalic acid is not detected. Compared with other vegetables, the contents of potassium, calcium, copper, iron, manganese, strontium and silicon are higher, and the contents of flavonoids (rutin, quercetin) and polysaccharides are relatively high, so it is a kind of vegetable with development potential.

Because edible cactus contains a variety of minerals and citric acid, malic acid, vitamins, cellulose, etc., it has the effects of promoting qi and activating blood circulation, clearing heat and detoxification, promoting metabolism and reducing blood sugar and blood lipids; in particular, it does not contain oxalic acid, which is very conducive to the absorption of calcium by the human body, and is a good supplement for children and middle-aged and elderly people. In addition, in the cultivation of its diseases and insect pests rarely occur, so the use of pesticides is also less, is the real green food.

Cultivation techniques

Edible cactus is coarse and easy to grow, strong resistance, less diseases and insect pests, once planted, can be picked continuously for many years, with the advantages of time-saving, labor-saving, cost-saving and so on.

1. Land selection: the best choice for planting edible cactus is sandy soil, which is well drained, fertile and sunny.

2. Implantation period: edible cactus can be planted all the year round, but the most suitable temperature is 20-30 ℃, and the survival rate is more than 95%. When planting, the soil should not be too wet, such as the soil is too wet, the anaerobic microorganisms in the soil will multiply in large numbers, causing the seed stem to rot and reduce the survival rate, so planting is prohibited on rainy days. Before planting, put the new palm piece in the sun until the wound dries out, then disinfect and sterilize with stone sulfur mixture, and then you can insert it.

3. Planting specifications: when planting, the bed should be 1.2 meters wide and 15-25 centimeters high, with enough rotten organic fertilizer. Planting specifications: 2 rows per row, 40 cm between plants, 60 cm between rows, 1600 to 1800 pieces per mu, the planting depth is 2 beat 5 of the cactus, and the direction of the palm is facing the sun (that is, east and west). In this way, we can get enough sunlight on both sides and in the afternoon, which is beneficial to photosynthesis.

4. Fertilizer and water management: keep the soil moist after planting. The first fertilization can be carried out when the buds grow out of 6 cm after the seedlings are planted, and the second fertilization can be applied after harvest to promote the continuous germination of cactus. It is best to apply rotten organic fertilizer when fertilizing. The cactus does not need to apply any fertilizer during the dormant period.

5. Soil cultivation: in the process of cactus growth, with the increase of aboveground weight, soil should be cultivated in time to avoid plant lodging.

6. pest control: according to the experimental observation, edible cactus diseases and insect pests are very few, if found that bacterial diseases can be controlled by fungicides, pests can be controlled by insecticides, good results can be obtained.

7. Picking: the stem can be picked within one and a half months after sprouting. The older the stem and leaf is, the higher the acidity is, the more tender the stem is, the lower the acidity is. Picking too early will affect the yield. Picking too late will increase the acidity. The growth period of stem slices for seed use is more than 6 months, and the survival rate can only be guaranteed when planting.

In addition, the heat preservation should be done when the temperature drops to 5 ℃, and the edible cactus below 0 ℃ is vulnerable to freezing injury. Measures such as nylon film or straw mulching can be used for heat preservation.