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Optimal Methods for Estimating Cactus Pear Biomass Using Cladode Dimensions of Morphologically Diverse Accessions.

Gabriel J Angres¹, Claire Heinitz², John C Cushman¹

¹Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, MS 330, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, USA.

Plant, Cell & Environment

|May 5, 2026

Summary

Accurate estimation of cactus pear (Opuntia spp.) fresh weight is improved using new allometric models. These models refine biomass measurement for diverse cladode plants in field settings.

Keywords:

Opuntia dimensional data model design morphometrics productivity

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Area of Science:

Agricultural Science
Botany
Plant Physiology

Background:

Current allometric methods for estimating cactus pear (Opuntia spp.) biomass are insufficient for field applications with diverse plant accessions.
Refinement of these methods is crucial for accurate, non-destructive biomass assessment in varied agricultural and ecological settings.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop and validate improved allometric models for estimating cladode fresh weight in morphologically diverse cactus pear accessions.
To compare the performance of different modeling approaches, including Box, Fitting-box, and Elliptical models, for predicting biomass.

Main Methods:

Analysis of cladode dimensional data from 14 accessions (four species and two hybrids) of Opuntia spp.
Development of cross-accession models using factorial combinations of cladode dimensions (length, width, thickness, diameter) to estimate fresh weight.
Utilized ImageJ for area measurement and developed Elliptical and Fitting-box models for comparison.

Main Results:

A Box model incorporating multiple dimensions achieved the highest general fit (R² = 0.95) for estimating fresh weight across all accessions.
The Elliptical model provided a strong general fit (R² = 0.94) while simplifying measurements.
Fitting-box models using ImageJ-derived area also showed good performance (R² = 0.93).

Conclusions:

The developed Box, Fitting-box, and Elliptical models offer efficient and accurate tools for non-destructive estimation of cactus pear biomass.
These refined models outperform previous methods when applied to morphologically diverse cactus pear accessions in field conditions.
The study provides valuable methodologies for agricultural and ecological research involving Opuntia spp. biomass assessment.