Nutrients demand of cactus forage

Abstract

The study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of nutrient use in three cactus forage (CF) cultivars (Opuntia stricta and Nopalea cochenillifera), 365 days after planting under different types of fertilizer in two research sites (Condado and Riachão) of the semi-arid region of Paraiba state, Brazil. The experimental design was a randomized block design with treatments in a factorial scheme (3×4), three cultivars of CF (Orelha de elefante Mexicana; Miúda; Bahiana), and four fertilizer treatment (Control; Manure; Manure with Nitrogen; Mineral fertilization) with four replications. The CF cultivars did not differ significantly in nutrient use. That means of physio-logical efficiency by CF cultivars were 1.62, and 2.36 kg of biomass per kg of nutrient applied in Condado and Riachão, respectively. The efficiency of nutrient recovery was 16% for the Condado, according the following order: K> P> Ca> N> C = Mg and 12% for Riachão: K> P> N> C = Ca = Mg. In the two research sites, the treatment with mineral fertilization significantly increased the efficiency use of N, P and K in comparison to the other treatments. The average for efficiency of nutrient utilization was 25% and 19% for Condado and Riachão, respectively, in the following order for Condado: K> P> N> Ca = Mg> C, and Riachão: K> P> N> C> Mg = Ca. In a CF production system aiming to obtain a yearly harvest cycle, it is necessary to replenish of K and P to maintain the nutritional balance between the soil and CF plant.

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Revista Brasileira de Geografia Física v.13, n.02 (2020) 8111-820.
811
Moreira, J. M.; Pérez-Marin, A. M.; Araújo, J. S.;Lambais, G. R.; Sales, A. T
ISSN:1984-2295
Revista Brasileira de
Geografia Física
Homepage: https://periodicos.ufpe.br/revistas/rbgfe
Nutrients demand of cactus forage
João Macedo Moreira1, Aldrin Martin Pérez-Marin2, Jucilene Silva Araújo2,
George Rodrigues Lambais2, Aldo Torres Sales3
1Technical support, Paraiba State government. Av. João Mata - s/n, 58015-020, João Pessoa, Paraíba State, Brazil
2Researcher, Semi-arid national institute of Brazil. Av. Francisco Lopes de Almeida, s/n - Serrotão, 58434-700,
Campina Grande, Paraiba state, Brazil.
3 Grupo de energia da biomassa, Departamento de Energia Nuclear – Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, CEP 50740-540.
aldo@zooctesnista.com.br
Artigo recebido em 24/07/2019 e aceito em 21/03/2020
A B S T R A C T
The study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of nutrient use in three cactus forage (CF) cultivars (Opuntia stricta and
Nopalea cochenillifera), 365 days after planting under different types of fertilizer in two research sites (Condado and
Riachão) of the semi-arid region of Paraiba state, Brazil. The experimental design was a randomized block design with
treatments in a factorial scheme (3×4), three cultivars of CF (Orelha de elefante Mexicana; Miúda; Bahiana), and four
fertilizer treatment (Control; Manure; Manure with Nitrogen; Mineral fertilization) with four replications. The CF
cultivars did not differ significantly in nutrient use. That means of physio-logical efficiency by CF cultivars were 1.62,
and 2.36 kg of biomass per kg of nutrient applied in Condado and Riachão, respectively. The efficiency of nutrient
recovery was 16% for the Condado, according the following order: K> P> Ca> N> C = Mg and 12% for Riachão: K> P>
N> C = Ca = Mg. In the two research sites, the treatment with mineral fertilization significantly increased the efficiency
use of N, P and K in comparison to the other treatments. The average for efficiency of nutrient utilization was 25% and
19% for Condado and Riachão, respectively, in the following order for Condado: K> P> N> Ca = Mg> C, and Riachão:
K> P> N> C> Mg = Ca. In a CF production system aiming to obtain a yearly harvest cycle, it is necessary to replenish of
K and P to maintain the nutritional balance between the soil and CF plant.
Keywords: fertilizer, nutrient uptake, semiarid region, forage management, drylands, Dryland cropping
Introduction
Livestock production chains are one of the
major social-economic activities in the semi-arid
region of Brazil. Consequently, its activity
demands a high input of agricultural supplies (e.g.
Feed supplementation and maintenance of soil
fertility). Currently, it is estimated that the lands of
the semi-arid region of Brazil have one of the
highest livestock stocking rates in the world, which
make the supply of forage the main challenge to
assure the production of milk and meat in the
region (Dubeux Jr et al. 2017; Souza et al. 2018).
Usually, most of the semi-arid region
Brazil has a rainfall pattern marked by 4 to 5
months (350 – 750 mm) while the remaining
months of the year are dry with high
evapotranspiration (< 210 mm year-1). Such
climatic pattern shortens the option of forage
resources to be cultivated in this area. Hence, the
cactus forage is one of the most successful food
sources for the livestock of Brazil, mainly in the
semiarid.
Cactus forage has been cultivated in the
Brazilian semi-arid lands almost by 100 years, with
an estimated total cultivated area about of 600.000
hectares and an average dry matter biomass
productivity higher than 25 Mg ha-1.
Besides the large amount of forage
produced in a dry land, the cactus forage is an
important source of water, energy, and minerals for
the animals.
High productivity of this plant also
implicates massive nutrient extraction from the
soil, which we addressed in part due to in cut-and-
carry operations, that moving the nutrients from the
land to the stables, especially in cattle dairy
systems without doing the reverse path to the field.
However, the extraction of nutrients of the cactus
forage varies depending on the cultivar,
environmental conditions, and management,
especially the fertilization (Dubeux Junior et al.
2017). Nevertheless, there are only a few studies
about nutrient reposition in the soil under cactus

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forage fields. Overall those few studies reported
that this plant increases biomass production
significantly under adequate fertilization. Such
results in biomass production have been
encouraging ranchers to fertilize their cactus forage
fields. Most of them fertilize with manure, but
without soil fertility diagnosis and technical
recommendation (Marques et al. 2017).
Determinate the amount of nutrients
extracted from the soil by the cactus during their
crop cycle is essential to define the correct nutrient
refueling to maintain the equilibrium in the soil-
plant system. These determinations are basic steps
to establish a fertilization program for the cactus
forage (Silva et al. 2016; Donato et al. 2016).
Thus, we aim to evaluate the demand and
efficiency of nutrient utilization of the different
types of fertilization in three cultivars of Cactus
forage in the semiarid of Paraiba state, Brazil.
Material e methods
The experiment was conducted on field
condition between 2013 and 2015 in two agrarian
reform settlements of the semiarid region of
Paraiba State-Brazil: Nova Conquista settlement
(6°54’40”S e 37°39’44”W) in the municipality of
Condado, and Baixio settlement (6°34’0”S and
35°41’9”) in the municipality of Riachão, which on
this research we called: Research site of Riachão
and research site of Condado. The soils of the
research sites were classified as luvisols and
planosol, respectively (EMBRAPA 2013). At the
research sites of Condado and Riachão,
respectively, the long-term average precipitation
was 784 mm (CV = 108%) and 568 mm (CV
=76%). The monthly average temperature and
precipitation during the experimental period is
shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Monthly and accumulated rainfall during the experimental period (one year) in two research sites
(Condado and Riacho) at Paraiba state – Brazil which evaluated different sources of fertilizers in three cultivars
of opuntia forage (Míuda, bahiana and orelha de elefante).
*The bars represent the monthly rainfall ** The lines represent the rainfall accumulated during the experimental period
The soils were chemically characterized in
both researched sites (Table 1) through the
collection of 144 soil samples (0-20 cm depth)
from each research site. All soil samples were
joined forming a composite soil sample of each
research site. In the laboratory the soil collected
were air-dried (55oC), crushed and passed through
a 2 mm mesh sieve, and then analyzed to
determinate the Total Carbon Organic, N, Ca, P, K,
and Na according to the methodology described by
EMBRAPA (2011).
Each research site consisted of 1 hectare.
The experimental design was in randomized blocks
with the treatments in a factorial scheme (3 x 4),
with four replications. The treatments consisted of
the 3 cultivars of cactus forage (Opuntia stricta -
cultivar Orelha de Elefante Mexicana (POE);
Nopalea cochenillifera with the cultivars Miuda
(PM) and Alagoas (PA)); and four fertilizer
treatments (Control = without fertilization; Manure
= application of 20 Mg ha-1 cow manure, Organic-
mineral = application of 10 Mg ha-1 cow manure
and 40 kg ha-1 of Nitrogen; and Mineral
0
200
400
600
800
0
50
100
150
200
250
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Monthly precipitation
(mm)
Month of the year
Condado Riachão A. Condado A. Riachão
Total precipitation during the rainy season
(mm)

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Moreira, J. M.; Pérez-Marin, A. M.; Araújo, J. S.;Lambais, G. R.; Sales, A. T
fertilization = which followed the recommendation
of soil analysis to NPK. The fertilization doses
followed the recommendation of the agricultural
technical assistance used in the region. As a source
of N, P, K were used ammonium sulfate, calcium
superphosphate, and potassium chloride,
respectively.
The chemical characteristics of the manure
used in Condado and Riachão sites were 2,03 e 1,86
of N; 20,92 and 21,95 of C; 1,08 and 1,11 of P; 4,42
and 4,90 of K; 5,09 and 5,27 of Ca and; 2,38 and
2,47 of Mg, respectively. The experiment was
divided into four blocks with 3266,3 m2 each
(100,5 × 32,5 m). Each block was subdivided into
12 plots of 260 m2 (35,5 × 8 m), corresponding to
12 treatments (cultivar x fertilizer). The soil
preparation consisted of cutting the vegetation,
followed by harrowing and then the cactuses were
planted burying 1/3 of the cladode mother (± 12
cm). After planting, fertilizers were applied around
the cladode mother, and the amount is shown on
Table 2.
The cladodes planted were derived from
healthy and productive plants from the 3 cultivars
of cactus forage, Orelha de elefante (Opuntia
stricta), Miúda and Bahiana (Nopalea
cocheniliferra). After harvested, the cladodes were
stored under a shaded place for 8 days, allowing the
cuts to heal.
After this period, the cladodes were
planted in transversal lines to the moderate slope
observed in the research field. Such design aims to
protect the soil and reduce soil erosion. The
planting density was the same for the two sites,
double-row with 150 cm between rows and 50 x 50
cm between plants, corresponding to 20.000 plants
ha-1. During the experimental period, two manual
weedings were allowed, one in the beginning and
the other at the end of the rainy season.
365 days after planting (DAP), all cladodes
(except the mother cladode) were cut and weighed
to determine the green biomass production per
hectare. At the same time, a biomass sample of
each fertilizer and cultivar experimental plot was
taken and weighted. The samples were dried at
57°C until reach constant weight to determine the
dry matter biomass (A.O.A.C.,1995). Such results
were also reported as kg of dry matter biomass/ha
(kg DM ha-1). Samples from dry matter biomass
were grounded through a 1-mm diameter screen in
a Wiley mill and the levels of C, N, P, K, Ca, and
Mg were determinate.
The levels of total C and total N were
determined using an elementary analyzer from a
subsample 0,1 g of biomass (LECO TRUSPEC-
CHN-628). The levels of P, K, Ca and Mg were
quantified by X-ray fluorescence using the semi-
quantitative EQUA OXIDES method (Kelly et al.
1994). After this, the results of the nutrient analysis
were extrapolated to dg per hectare.
With the analysis results and quantity of
nutrients applied to the soil, we calculated the
physiological efficiency (Dry matter production
per unit of nutrient applied. The recuperation
efficiency (Amount of nutrient accumulated in the
plant per unit of nutrient applied) and utilization
efficiency (Amount of nutrient accumulated per
unit of nutrient applied) in accordance to the with
the protocol described by (Fageria, 1998) which is
described in the equation 1, 2 and 3, respectively.
 

(01)
Where:
PE – Physiological efficiency
PMSca – Total dry matter biomass accumulated
(Kg) in plots under fertilization
PMSsa - Total dry matter biomass accumulated
(Kg) in plots without fertilization
ANca – Total nutrients accumulated (Kg) under
fertilization
ANca - Total nutrients accumulated (Kg) without
fertilization
  
 (02)
where:
RE – Recuperation efficiency
ANca – Amount of nutrients accumulated in plots
under fertilization (kg)
ANca - Amount of nutrients accumulated in plots
without fertilization (kg)
QNA – Total amount of the nutrient applied
  (03)
Where:
EU – Efficiency of utilization
EF -Physiological efficiency
ER – Efficiency of recuperation
The data for each research site were
analyzed separately by ANOVA, and the means
were compared by Scott-Knott (α<0.05).
Results and discussion
Concentration of nutrients- The concentration of
N, C, and P were statistically different in the cactus

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Moreira, J. M.; Pérez-Marin, A. M.; Araújo, J. S.;Lambais, G. R.; Sales, A. T
forage for the research site of Condado (Table 3).
Still on this site, overall, the concentration of
nutrients in the cultivar Bahiana was on average
15% higher than the observed in the Orelha de
elefante and Miúda cultivars. The concentration of
C in the cactus forage cultivars decreased in the
following order Miúda > Orelha de elefante >
Bahiana. In the cultivars, Bahiana and Miúda the
concentration of P were 30% higher than Orelha
de elefante. The levels of K, Ca, and Mg did not
show statistical differences among the cultivars of
cactus forage studied (p>0,05).
In the Riachão site, the highest
concentration of C was observed in the cultivar
Miúda. Inversely, the Ca and Mg levels were
higher in the Orelha de elefante and Bahiana
cultivars than in Miuda. Still on Riachão site, the
concentration of N, P and K did not show statistical
differences among cultivars.
Based on the results, we could affirm that
the nutrients contained in the Cactus forage varied
according to cultivars and location.
Concerning to the type of fertilization, the
concentration of C in the treatments with manure +
N and, the mineral fertilization were higher than
the values observed in the other fertilizer
treatments (Table 3). Nitrogen content was, on
average, 15% higher in the plots with mineral
fertilization when compared to the other fertilizer
treatments.
Similar results were reported by Donato et
al. (2016) in the Opuntia ficus-indica (Cultivar
Gigante), suggesting that in the cactus forage, the
response for type of fertilization is similar among
species. But different from those reported to
Mayer and Cushman (2019) that found that in field‐
grown tissue of Opuntia ficus indica the calcium
was the most abundant macronutrient at 50 g/kg of
dry matter, followed by Mg and N.
Extraction of nutrients
In the Condado research site, the cultivar
Miuda demanded more nitrogen and phosphorus,
while Orelha de elefante was less demanding of all
nutrients analyzed. In the research site of Riachão,
the cultivars Orelha de elefante and Bahiana
extracted more calcium and magnesium from the
soil. Overall, however, the Orelha de elefante was
the cultivar which demanded fewer nutrients
among the cultivars studied.
The fertilizer treatments did not promote
statistical differences among the cultivar of cactus
forage in the Condado site. However, the Riachão
had differences between fertilization treatments for
N, C, and Ca.
In the Condado site the extraction of N, Ca
and Mg were different among cultivars (Table 4).
The N and Ca were similar between Orelha de
elefante and Bahiana but higher than Miúda.
Besides that, Orelha de elefante also had the
highest Mg extration among all cultivars studied.
In the Riachão site the cultivars had differences for
exration only for Ca and Mg, where the cultivars
Orelha de elefante and Bahiana had higher values
than Miúda.
In the Riachão site, the average nutrient
extraction of N, C, P, and K were 16.94, 509,8 and
173 Kg ha-1, respectively. Such values correspond
to 47 and 62% of the Total N, total C, P available
and K exchange in the soil. Overall the values in
the Riachão site were lower than those observed in
the research site of Condado, probably due to lower
biomass accumulated in Riachão.
Previous studies with Cactus forage that
evaluated planting density and type of fertilization
reported a dry matter biomass accumulation of 10
Mg ha-1 in the species Opuntia ficus-ìndica cultivar
‘Gigante’ 600 days after planting (DAP), and the
values of extraction varied between 90 and 177 Kg
ha-1 to N, 11 to 19 kg ha-1 to P and 247 to 714 kg
ha-1 to K (Silva et al. 2016; Donato et al. 2016)
Considering level of extraction of Cactus
forage, it is worth to mentioning that to cultivate
this forage source without nutrient replacement
could increase the chances of drastic and rapid
reduction of nutrients in the soil, especially for P
and K that do not have a natural replenishment
mechanism.
For N and P replacement in the soil can be
reached through the use of intercropping
cultivation with legumes, we believe that is an
alternative to mitigate the deficit of this element in
the soil-plant system through biological nitrogen
fixation.
Miranda et al. (2019) stated that the
intercropping association of cactus forage with tree
legumes contributes to an increase in production
and nutrient concentration of the Nopalea
cochenilifera Cultivar Bahiana
Physiological (PE) and Recovery (RE) efficiencies
The variable PE did not differ significantly
between the cultivars of cactus forage studied in the
two research sites (Table 5). The PE average in the
three cultivars was 1.62 and 2.36 kg kg-1 of biomass
per unit of nutrient accumulated, respectively to the
research sites of Condado and Riachão. The RE
average was 8% and 4% for N, 5% and 3% for C,
23% and 16% for P, 43% and 42% for K, 9% and

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3% for Ca and 5% and 3% for Mg, respectively to
the Condado and Riachão sites.
We observed a significant heterogeneity
among nutrient recovery between research sites
that we addressed in part for the differences
between sites in terms of timing and duration of the
dry season.
The fertilizer type did not promote a
significant effect on PE in both researched sites.
However, the RE for the nutrients N and P in the
Condado site were 220% and 1272% higher in
plants that receive mineral fertilization. In the
Riachão site, these results were, even more,
staggering for N and P in the plants that receive
mineral fertilization, being the values observed
1100 % and 4300% higher than manure + N and
manure treatments, respectively.
Still on the Riachão site, the RE of the K
nutrient was 38 times higher in the treatment with
mineral fertilization in comparison with other
fertilizer treatments studied. In contrast, the results
of RE for C were higher in the treatments with
manure in both researched sites. To the other
nutrients studied, Ca and Mg exhibited low RE in
both research sites, and they did not show statistical
differences among the treatments.
The PE and RE observed in the cactus
forage in our study were at least 20 times less
efficient than the values reported to C4 forage grass
(Junior, 2017). However, for compare this result,
we should consider the environmental conditions in
which the biomass was produced. Cactus forage is
able to provide forage under dry environments.
.
Nutrient use efficiency (NUE) - According to
Brounder and Volenec (2017) nutrient use
efficiency is an integrated indicator of the soil
ability to match nutrient supply within the root
zone of the plants.
Following the same pattern of PE, in both
researched sites the NUE for N, C, P, K, Ca and Mg
did not exhibit statistical differences among the
cultivars of cactus forage studied (Table 6). The
NUE averages were 15% and 9% to N, 7% and 6%
to C, 48% and 27% to P, 61% and 63% to K, and
10% and 3% Mg in the researched sites of Condado
and Riachão, respectively.
The NUE observed in the cactus forage
were higher than the reported for other species of
Cactus. For Nitrogen, the NUE found in Rhipsalis
baccifera, R. paradoxa and Hatiora salicornioides
were 0.2, 0.15 and 0.75 kg kg-1. Respectively. But
lower than the average of C4 forage species (0.35
kg kg-1) (Silva, 2017).
For the fertilizer treatments, the NUE
values observed for N, P and K were higher with
the mineral fertilizer treatment when compared
with the others studied. In the Condado site the
treatments with mineral fertilizer, exhibited high
values to N, P and K in comparison to the other
fertilizer treatments studied. The research site of
Riachão showed the same tendency for the NUE.
withe no statistical differences for the nutrients C,
Ca and Mg among the fertilizer treatments
evaluated.
Cactus forage differs the NUE according
to type of fertilizer. Thus, our results suggest that
the type of fertilizer and the amount of nutrient
applied influences the NUE. The mineral
fertilization treatment promoted a better NUE
among the fertilizer treatments evaluated.
As reported for grass forages species by
Druille et al. (2019), mineral fertilization increased
NUE. This state is well known in grasses where the
magnitude of this response was positively
correlated with N and P doses. A positive effect of
N fertilization on NUE enhance the partitioning to
shoots rather than roots.
In Cactus forage the fertilization often
increases the N content in the cladodes (Dubeux
Junior et al., (2017). Currently has a lack of
response of NUE in forage species under dry
environments conditions, the few reports existing
suggests that limited in water availability imposes
a less nutrient use efficiency in the plants. Under
water stress, the plants closure their stomatal,
reducing the water loss via transpiration,
consequently a downregulation of
photoassimilation rates.
In terms of NUE, the fertilization with
manure showed to be less efficient than the mineral
fertilizer. According to Miranda (2019), soils with
low water availability often occur a stagnation in
the process of mineralization of the organic matter,
becoming less available the nutrients for the plant.
This phenomenon can causes a desynchronization
between the nutritional demand of the plant and its
growth cycle, affecting the NUE.
Conclusion
The cultivars of cactus forage commonly
cultivated in the semi-arid areas of Brazil do not
differ in nutrient use. Overall, the physiological
efficiency in the three cultivars was on average
1.99 kg of biomass per kg of nutrient applied in the
soil, and the recovery efficiency of nutrient was on
average 14 %, following the order of demand
K>P>Ca>N>C=Mg. Thus, in a cultivation system
aiming to harvest the biomass in the first year it is

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necessary to replenish of K and P to maintain the
nutritional balance of the soil-plant system.
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use efficiency as a tool to evaluate the
development of ornamental cacti species.
Ornamental Horticulture, 23(4), 419-425.
https://doi.org/10.14295/oh.v23i4.1063
Souza, D., Silva, L., Santana, A. 2018. Zoneamento
agroclimático da palma forrageira (Opuntia sp.)
para o estado de sergipe. Rev Bras Agric Irrig
12, 2338–2347. doi: 10.7127/rbai.v12n100715

Revista Brasileira de Geografia Física v.13, n.02 (2020) 8111-820.
817
Moreira, J. M.; Pérez-Marin, A. M.; Araújo, J. S.;Lambais, G. R.; Sales, A. T
Table 1. Chemical attributes of the luvisols (Condado site) and plansoils (Riacão site) at 0-20 cm depth,
cultivated with cactus forage.
Municipality
COT
pH
P
Ca+2
Mg+2
K+
Na+
Al+3
H+Al
V
g kg-1
H2O
mg dm-3
---------------------- cmocdm-3 --------------------
%
Riachão
1.03
6.60
10.12
6.10
0.00
0.36
0.05
0.74
0.78
89.
3
Condado
2.05
6.50
8.98
8.98
0.00
0.27
0.05
0.00
1.27
88.
0
Table 2. Amount of nutrients applied in the soil to each treatment (fertilization) and research sites (Condado
and Riacho) in the semiarid of Paraiba state – Brazil.
Treatments
Amount applied (kg ha-1)
N
C
P
K
Ca
Mg
Manure – Condado
405.8
4183.2
216.0
884.0
1018.0
476.0
Manure – Riachão
371.2
4389.6
222.0
980.0
1054.0
494.0
Manure and Nitrogen – Condado
242.8
2091.6
108.0
442.0
509.0
238.0
Manure and Nitrogen – Riachão
225.5
2194.8
111.0
490.0
527.0
247.0
Mineral fertlization (NPK)
100.0
0
8.7
82.9
0
0
Table 3. Concentration (g kg-1) of nitrogen (N), carbon (C), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and
magnesium (Mg) in plants of three cultivars of cactus forage (Míuda, bahiana and orelha de elefante) under
different sources of fertilizers in two research sites (Condado and Riacho) in the semiarid of Paraiba state –
Brazil.
Treatments
N
C
P
K
Ca
Mg
----------------------------------- g kg-1-----------------------------------
Cultivars
Condado - Luvisols
Orelha de elefante
15.3 b
353.0 b
4.00 b
98.8 a
140.6 a
41.1 a
Miúda
14.1 b
361.6 a
5.34 a
105.8 a
129.4 a
36.2 a
Bahiana
17.0 a
344.6 c
6.33 a
104.8 a
144.4 a
36.5 a
Fertilizer
Control
14.2 a
351.5 a
5.01 a
95.4 a
139.9 a
39.4 a
Manure
15.6 a
351.8 a
5.32 a
118.3 a
145.9 a
36.6 a
Manure + N
15.3 a
353.2 a
5.26 a
98.4 a
134.9 a
39.7 a
Mineral fertlization (NPK)
16.7 a
355.7 a
5.47 a
100.4 a
131.8 a
36.1 a
Varieties
Riachão – Planosols
Orelha de elefante
11.5 a
356.8 b
5.81 a
10.75 a
12.29 a
4.29 a
Miúda
12.7 a
362.3 a
7.45 a
12.90 a
10.99 b
3.47 b
Bahiana
11.9 a
354.3 b
6.42 a
12.12 a
12.61 a
4.04 a
Fertilizer
Control
12.7 a
356.5 b
6.74 a
12.62 a
13.07 a
3.98 a
Manure
10.6 b
351.9 b
8.23 a
11.61 a
12.38 a
4.31 a
Manure + N
11.7 b
359.7 a
6.41 a
11.56 a
11.73b
3.80 a
Mineral fertlization (NPK)
13.2 a
363.1 a
4.85 a
11.90 a
10.68 b
3.64 a
Means followed by different letters in the column are significantly different according to Scott-Knott.

Revista Brasileira de Geografia Física v.13, n.02 (2020) 8111-820.
818
Moreira, J. M.; Pérez-Marin, A. M.; Araújo, J. S.;Lambais, G. R.; Sales, A. T
Table 4. Extraction of nitrogen (N), carbon (C), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium
(Mg) of three cultivars of cactus forage (Míuda, bahiana and orelha de elefante) under different sources of
fertilization in two research sites (Condado and Riacho) at Paraiba state – Brazil.
Treatments
MS
N
C
P
K
Ca
Mg
t ha-1
------------------------------------------ kg ha-1-----------------------------
Cultivars
Condado - Luvisols
Orelha de elefante
4.21 a
65.05 a
1490.42 a
17.13 a
421.88 a
588.81 a
172.39 a
Miúda
3.31 a
46.96 b
1197.01 a
17.76 a
351.78 a
429.10 b
119.86 b
Bahiana
3.73 a
64.51 a
1287.18 a
24.67 a
399.99 a
535.65 a
131.05 b
Fertilizer
Control
3,64 a
54,67 a
1279,44 a
20,10 a
365,05 a
504,53 a
138,12 a
Manure
3,94 a
62,45 a
1386,98 a
21,11 a
464,84 a
570,64 a
142,69 a
Manure + N
3.68 a
56.44 a
1305.33 a
18.61 a
360.75 a
498.95 a
147.69 a
Mineral
fertilization (NPK)
3.73 a
61.80 a
1327.73 a
19.60 a
374.23 a
497.29 a
135.89 a
Cultivar
Riachão – Planosols
Orelha de elefante
1.68 a
18.70 a
599.94 a
10.65 a
182.67 a
206.41 a
67.67 a
Miúda
1.13 a
14.45 a
413.86 a
8.90 a
155.71 a
123.09 b
38.63 b
Bahiana
1.44 a
17.67 a
515.65 a
8.89 a
181.53 a
179.07 a
56.61 a
Fertilizer
Control
1.08 b
14.11 b
387.17 b
7.92 a
142.55 a
141.00 a
42.29 a
Manure
1.21 b
12.68 b
425.21 b
10.73 a
146.80 a
152.84 a
52.14 a
Manure + N
1.41 b
16.00 b
511.38 b
9.24 a
164.16 a
167.99 a
53.74 a
Mineral
fertilization (NPK)
1.96 a
715.50 a
715.50 a
10.03 a
239.71 a
216.26 a
69.03 a
Means followed by different letters in the column are significantly different according to Scott-Knott.

Revista Brasileira de Geografia Física v.13, n.02 (2020) 8111-820.
819
Moreira, J. M.; Pérez-Marin, A. M.; Araújo, J. S.;Lambais, G. R.; Sales, A. T
Table 5. Physiological (PE) and Recovery (RE) efficiencies of Nitrogen (N), carbon (C), phosphorus (P),
potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) contend in three cultivars of opuntia forage (Míuda,
bahiana and orelha de elefante) under different sources of fertilization in two research sites (Condado and
Riacho) at Paraiba state – Brazil.
Treatments
PE
Recovery efficiency (RE)
N
C
P
K
Ca
Mg
(kg DM kg fertilizer1 accumulated ---------------------------------kg kg---------------------------
Cultivars
Condado - Luvisols
Orelha de elefante
1.39 a
0.07 a
0.05 a
0.11 a
0.32 a
0.10 a
0.05 a
Miúda
2.06 a
0.05 a
0.03 a
0.30 a
0.18 a
0.02 a
0.04 a
Bahiana
1.41 a
0.13 a
0.08 a
0.28 a
0.80 a
0.15 a
0.05 a
Fertilizers
Manure
1.41 a
0.05 b
0.07 a
0.04 b
0.19 a
0.14 a
0.05 a
Manure + N
1.42 a
0.04 b
0.09 a
0.05 b
0.15 a
0.13 a
0.10 a
Mineral fertilization
(NPK)
2.03 a
0.16 a
0.00 b
0.61 a
0.95 a
0.00 b
0.00 a
Cultivars
Riachão – Planosols
Orelha de elefante
1.39 a
0.03 a
0.03 a
0.25 a
0.40 a
0.03 a
0.04 a
Miúda
1.82 a
0.05 a
0.02 a
0.16 a
0.48 a
0.03 a
0.02 a
Bahiana
3.87 a
0.05 a
0.03 a
0.08 a
0.38 a
0.02 a
0.02 a
Fertilizer
Manure
4.11 a
0.00 b
0.02 b
0.02 b
0.03 b
0.03 a
0.03 a
Manure + N
1.16 a
0.01 b
0.06 a
0.02 b
0.06 b
0.06 a
0.05 a
Mineral fertilization
(NPK)
1.82 a
0.11 a
0.00 b
0.45 a
1.18 a
0.00 a
0.00 a
Means followed by different letters in the column are significantly different according to Scott-Knott.

Revista Brasileira de Geografia Física v.13, n.02 (2020) 8111-820.
820
Moreira, J. M.; Pérez-Marin, A. M.; Araújo, J. S.;Lambais, G. R.; Sales, A. T
Table 6. Efficiency of use of Nitrogen (N), carbon (C), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and
magnesium (Mg) contend in three cultivars of opuntia forage (Míuda, bahiana and orelha de elefante) under
different sources of fertilizers in two researched sites (Condado and Riacho) at Paraiba state – Brazil.
Treatments
N
C
P
K
Ca
Mg
----------------------------------- kg kg-1 ----------------------------------
Cultivars
Condado - Luvisols
Orelha de elefante
0,12 a
0,06 a
0,19 a
0,49 a
0,10 a
0,05 a
Miúda
0,15 a
0,07 a
0,78 a
0,27 a
0,02 a
0,18 a
Bahiana
0,19 a
0,09 a
0,47 a
1,07 a
0,17 a
0,06 a
Fertilizers
Manure
0,07 b
0,10 a
0,05 b
0,24 b
0,16 a
0,08 b
Manure + N
0,05 b
0,12 a
0,05 b
0,13 b
0,13 a
0,22 a
Mineral fertilization (NPK)
0,34 a
0,00 b
1,33 a
1,46 a
0,00 a
0,00 b
Cultivars
Riachão – Planosols
Orelha de elefante
0,05 a
0,04 a
0,40 a
0,56 a
0,03 a
0,04 a
Miúda
0,09 a
0,02 a
0,27 a
0,72 a
0,02 a
0,03 a
Bahiana
0,12 a
0,13 a
0,13 a
0,61 a
0,04 a
0,03 a
Fertilizers
Manure
0,04 b
0,11 a
0,03 b
0,04 b
0,04 a
0,04 a
Manure + N
0,03 b
0,08 a
0,03 b
0,06 b
0,06 a
0,06 a
Mineral fertilization (NPK)
0,19 a
0,00 a
0,75 a
1,79 a
0,00 a
0,00 a
Means followed by different letters in the column are significantly different according to Scott-Knott.