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Abstract Water scarcity and droughts are major challenges for cattle production in Iran due to the resulting feed shortages. Cactus plants were studied for 3 years (2017–2019) for their agronomic and water productivity. The study used a four‐replication randomized block design. Normal, moderate drought stress and severe drought stress irrigation were applied in 2017. The irrigation depths applied to the cactus plants were established by referencing cumulative pan evaporation values, with 100, 140 and 180 mm in 2017; 140, 190 and 240 mm in 2018; and 160, 210 and 260 mm in 2019, representing the total depth of water added during each irrigation event. In 2018 and 2019, the normal and severe drought stress treatments produced the most and least number of cladodes per plant, respectively. As dry stress increased, the cladode length, breadth and diameter decreased. Severe drought stress had the greatest potassium content and the lowest neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) concentrations. Normal irrigation had the greatest effect on water productivity in 2018 and 2019. The usual treatment produced the greatest fresh and dry yields in 2018 (57.3 and 4.51 t ha −1 ) and 2019 (112 and 8.97 t ha −1 ). Under mild drought stress, the crude protein content was 8%, and under severe drought stress, it was 7%. The results suggest that Kerman, Iran, can grow cactus with less water.
Najafinezhad et al. (Wed,) studied this question.
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