The feral prickly pears of the Islands are doomed to disappear. His survival is in serious danger because of the Uncontrolled expansion of a Mexican cochineal pest (Dactylopyus opuntaie), also known as wild or carmine cochineal. This parasite, which was detected in the Archipelago for the first time in 2010, is spoiling the plantations in La Palma, Tenerife and Lanzarote. Landscapes starring groups of blackened prickly pears are becoming more and more common, which after serving as a lodging for this insect have become lifeless. Faced with this situation, the canarian government has decided, for the time being, not move token and let nature take its course the parasite ends up extinguishing the prickly pearan exotic invasive species –non-native– adapted to the insular edaphoclimatic conditions and not very demanding in terms of water and management.
But the plague not only affects the feral prickly pear, the Mexican cochineal also is damaging private crops, something that the Association of Farmers and Ranchers of the Canary Islands (Asaga Canarias Asaja) has been denouncing for years. “The decision has been made to do nothing and to save pruning they are letting the plague spread uncontrollably,” criticizes Asaga’s general secretary, Theo Hernando.
The sector is concerned that the extinction of the prickly pears also supposes dsay goodbye to another type of cochineal, Dactylopyus coccus, a parasite that lives with its host but it does not kill it and that has historically been used for the production of natural dye, which has the Protected Designation of Origin (DOP). In the 16th century, the Spanish introduced it to the Canary Islands, where its cultivation became an important economic resource for the Islands. Yogurts and strawberry soft drinks, ice creams, even wine, as well as cosmetic products, paints and clothes, present bright colors thanks to the carmine extracted from these insects. “A product as canary as the Clipper uses this coloring system,” recalls Hernando.
goodbye to the fig
And this is not the only thing that will be lost with the extinction of the prickly pears, its fruit will also disappear, the pico fig, that is still consumed in the Islands. It is a species from which almost the entire plant can be used. The shovels or stalks are still used today as feed for livestock or even for smoking cheese. The mucilage (fiber) is used in the manufacture of creams, bioplastics or biopolymers and oil for cosmetic use can be extracted from the seeds. In addition, from an environmental point of view, it becomes an ally against global warming given its ability to capture CO2. “It is not just about ending a crop, it is also a Canarian cultural issue,” insists Asaga’s general secretary.
For Hernando, the use of the prickly pear could become an attractive activity for diversify the agricultural sector given the “potential of the different products that are obtained and even the transformation of their fruits into fourth range as is being investigated”.
According to the Canary Islands Statistical Institute (Istac), there are registered a total of 154 hectares of prickly pear in the Islands, of which 37.38 are in Tenerife, about nine fewer than in 2015. The municipality of Buenavista, with 12.38 hectares, has the highest concentration of prickly pears on the island. In La Palma, the controlled area stands at 12.5 hectares and in Lanzarote, at 13.8 hectares. Gran Canaria has 50 hectares and Fuerteventura with 27.3 hectares.
Before dying and acquiring a darker tone, the infected plants present a dense cottony secretion. David Perestelo, an agricultural engineer expert in Mexican cochineal, explains that “there are no phytosanitary products” registered to control the pest which complicates the situation. “The only permitted practices are the application of pressurized water and the scraping of the leaves for cleaning, the use of potassium soap and paraffin oil,” explains Hernando.
Precisely the time that the prickly pears have left is unknown because the rain cleans them naturally. The plants located in the northern zone, more humid, have more possibilities of being saved than those found in drier zones.
Another method that Perestelo has put into practice through a research work is the release of natural enemies that kill the Mexican cochineal. “We tried to use a type of ladybug to kill the bug and the first results gave us 24.14% efficiency,” explains Perestelo, who affirms that the climatic conditions of the Islands are ideal for the “life cycle” of these parasites.
The methods used by farmers have managed to save some plants, but they have not stopped the advance of this parasitoid that the wind favors its dispersion. It spreads at great speed and is very prolific. Even so, apart from this species belonging to the cactus family, There is no evidence that the Mexican cochineal can affect the native flora or other crops. “There is no danger with other crops because it is like the Guatemalan moth that only affects potatoes,” explains the agricultural engineer.
Given the passivity of the Canarian administration to control the plague, the general secretary of Asaga, claims that, at least, farmers have information and training to know how to act to control the spread of this insect. “It is not easy to differentiate the types of cochineal, even for a specialized technician, so it is essential that farmers learn to distinguish and eradicate it from their crops,” he says.
The issue has become so widespread that some Canarian parliamentarians such as Oswaldo Betancort have already addressed the regional government to demand actions to combat the Mexican cochineal plague. “In less than six months it has annihilated many abandoned farms and has caused serious damage,” says the mayor of Teguise. Last July, the popular councilor of the Cabildo de Tenerife, Valentín González Évora, also called for joint actions by the Canarian institutions to deal with the situation. “The plague worries the neighbors because it not only kills the prickly pears, but also causes unsanitary situations in the places where it is located, with strong odors and the presence of a large number of insects,” says the counselor.
