Resumen

ZEGBE, Jorge A.; SANCHEZ-TOLEDANO, Blanca Isabel; SERNA-PEREZ, Alfonso  y  MENA-COVARRUBIAS, Jaime. Economic analysis of the application of mineral fertilizers on the yield of prickly pear. Rev. Mex. Cienc. Agríc [online]. 2014, vol.5, n.3, pp.449-461. ISSN 2007-0934.

The prickly pear (Opuntia spp.) Responds positively to organic mineral fertilization (FM). However, there is no information as to the biological optimum performance of the tuna and the respective economic analysis based on the FM down. Therefore, the objective of this research was to make an economic analysis of the performance of the tuna, in terms of marginal rate of return, based on function of different doses of mineral fertilizers of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). The experiment was established in a commercial orchard and evaluated from March to September of the years 2004, 2005 and 2006. N rates were 0, 30, 60 and 90 kg ha^-1. P Doses were 0, 30, 45 and 60 kg ha^-1 and K were 0, 30 and 60 kg ha^-1. NPK treatments were arranged in an incomplete factorial matrix. The experiment was conducted in a design and randomized complete block treatments were replicated three times. The addition of mineral fertilizers to the soil increased, on average, the performance of the tuna from the second evaluation cycle. The dose 90N -30P -30K not only promoted the highest yield, but also generated the highest benefit-cost and marginal rate of return. Optimization fruit yield (27 t ha^-1) was achieved with fertilization 80 kg N ha^-1 and 50 kg P ha^-1 and coincided with the highest rate of cost-benefit. The economic analysis not only offers the best alternative mineral fertilization on the production of tuna'Cristalina', but other methods of mineral fertilizers that result in economic benefits.

Palabras llave : Opuntia albicarpa Scheinvar; sensitivity analysis; performance; cost-benefit; marginal rate of return.