Perspectivas de utilização da figueira-da-india no Alentejo : caracterização de Opuntia sp. no litoral alentejano e na Tapada da Ajuda e estudo da instalação de um pomar

Mestrado em Engenharia Agronómica - Instituto Superior de AgronomiaA description of the different species of wild Opuntia in the Alentejo’s coastal area and in the Tapada da Ajuda (Lisbon) based on the morphological, phenological and physical-chemical description of the plants and fruits is made. The identified species were the Opuntia leucotricha DC., Opuntia stricta (Haw.) Haw., Opuntia monacanta (Willd.) Haw., Austrocylindropuntia subulata (Muehlenpf.) Backeb. and Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. (2 unknown varieties), which Opuntia ficus-indica is most interesting variety from the agronomic point of view. The fruits of O. ficus-indica have little acidity, high content of vitamin C, total phenols and TSS and a considerable amount of seeds (> 150). From the 2 varieties of O. ficus-indica (fruits with light-green pulp and orange pulp), the former shows better physical-chemical features comparing with the orange pulp fruit cultivar. This study demonstrates the high potential of the O. ficus-indica´s fruits as source of natural antioxidants and that the consumption of fruits and subproducts can provide substantial amounts for the human diet. Technical and economical assessment of an Opuntia orchard establishment was undertaken. As the edaphoclimatic conditions and the species/varieties of Opuntia with good physical-chemical features are advantageous there might be the possibility to develop a project considering the production of fruits to the national and international markets