Sustainable management of pitaya (Selenicereus spp.) pruning residues: exploring composting as a sustainable solution

Trindade, Ana Rita; Matias, Pedro; Silva, Soraia; Zarcos Duarte, Beatriz; Trindade, D.; Duarte, Amilcar; Reis, Mário; Guerreiro David Coelho, Luísa Isabel

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/28970

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2026-04-ActaHortic-Sustainable_management_of_pitaya_pruning_residues.pdf		522.61 KB	Adobe PDF	Ver/Abrir

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Autores

Trindade, Ana Rita

Matias, Pedro

Silva, Soraia

Zarcos Duarte, Beatriz

Trindade, D.

Duarte, Amilcar

Reis, Mário

Guerreiro David Coelho, Luísa Isabel

Resumo(s)

Pitaya (Selenicereus spp.) thrives in less fertile soils and has lower water requirements than other fruit crops. Therefore, is gaining popularity among farmers in Portugal (Algarve). Although there are some outdoor plantations, most are cultivated in greenhouses, for a higher and more constant growth. Pruning is performed throughout the year due to vigorous shoot production, resulting in substantial waste that requires proper disposal. Since most of these cladodes aren't suitable for vegetative propagation, or present sanitary problems, composting can be a sustainable solution for managing this waste. To evaluate the compost produced from pitaya pruning waste, a trial was conducted using three mixtures: P-1 (grass clippings, cladodes, grape pomace, and orange waste in a 4:1:1:1 ratio v/v); P-2 (grass clippings and cladodes in a 4:1 ratio v/v); and P-3 (cladodes and orange waste in a 1:1 ratio v/v). Composting took place in cylindrical piles for over four months, with continuous temperature monitoring and periodic determination of pH, electrical conductivity, moisture, C/N ratio and organic matter. Chemical, physical and biological analysis were performed at the end of the processes. P-2 and P-1 produced composts with high organic matter content (≥80%), with near-neutral pH (7.4 and 7.7 respectively) and low electrical conductivity (1.5 and 1.7 dS m-1 respectively), making them suitable for soil application. In contrast, P-3 had a higher pH and conductivity (9.3 and 3.1 dS m-1), potentially limiting its use. All composts showed good physical properties. The results indicate that composting pitaya cladodes is a viable farming practice, suitable for various agricultural contexts. Overall, composting pitaya pruning waste promotes circular agriculture, contributing to the recovery of soil fertility and increasing its organic matter content.