Research Article

Low- and High-Temperature Tolerance and Acclimation for Chlorenchyma versus Meristem of the Cultivated Cacti Nopalea cochenillifera, Opuntia robusta, and Selenicereus megalanthus

Table 1

LT50s for chlorenchyma and meristem from stems of N. cochenillifera, O. robusta, and S. megalanthus maintained at day/night air temperatures of 10/5°C, 25/20°C, or 45/40°C. LT50s for samples treated at low or high temperatures for 60 min were obtained graphically (Figure 1) relative to maximum stain uptake at 25°C. Data are means ± SE ( plants).

Species Tissue type LT50 (°C)
Day/night air temperature for low-temperature treatment Day/night air temperature for high-temperature treatment
10/5°C 25/20°C 25/20°C 45/40°C

N. cochenillifera Chlorenchyma
Meristem

O. robusta Chlorenchyma
Meristem

S. megalanthus Chlorenchyma
Meristem