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Requirements to grow

Factors that limit the growth of prickly pear are rainfall, soil, atmospheric humidity and temperature.

The minimum rainfall requirement is 200mm per year as long as the soils are sandy and deep. The ideal growth conditions when it comes to rainfall are 200-400mm per year.

Opuntia ficus-indica is very sensitive to lack of oxygen in the root zone. Therefore it needs well drained soils. Opuntia ficus- indica is, similar to a lot of CAM species, not very tolerant to dissolved salt in their root zone. Growth drops to zero under the salt concentration tolerated by most salt-tolerant crops.

O. ficus-indica grows usually in regions where relative humidity is above 60% and saturation deficite is below 12 HPa. Optunia ficus-indica is absent in regions where there is less than 40% humidity for more than a month.

Mean daily temperature required to develop is at least 1.5-2 °C. At -10 to -12 °C prickly pear is killed even if it is exposed to these temperatures only for a few minutes. The maximum temperature limit of prickly pear is above 50 °C as it thrives in regions where 50 °C occur regularly.

Erosion control and soil improvment

Opuntia ficus-indica are planted in hedges to provide a cheap but effective erosion control in the Mediterranean basin. Under those hedges and adjacent areas soil physical properties, nitrogen and organic matter are considerably improved. Structural stability of the soil is enhanced, runoff and erosion are reduced, while water storage capacity and permeability is enhanced. Prickly pear plantations also have an positive impact on plant growth of other species. By improving the severe environmental conditions colonization and development of herbaceous species is facilitated. Opuntia ficus-indica is being advantageously used in Tunisia and Algeria to slow and direct sand movement and enhance the restoration of the vegetative cover. There prickly pear helps to avoid destruction of built terraces with its deep and strong rooting system.