Utility and Prospect of Opuntia ficus-indica

Opuntia ficus indica is a kind of economic plant. It can be widely used as fruit, vegetable, medicine and feed. It can be al so used to afforest barren hills, prevent water and soil from erosion, improve ecological environments. At the same time it is good host for Dactylopius coccus and good species for landscape. It is very difficult to afforest other tree species in hot dry or semi hot dry valley, such as Jinshajiang River, Lancangjiang River, Nujiang River, Yuanjiang River, because of the high mountains, steep slope and stone. If Opuntia ficus indica is selected to afforest in these regions, it can not only prevent water and soil from erosion, but also bring obvious ecological, economic and social benefits. The paper described the comprehensive utilization and the prospects of Opuntia ficus indica. It can be reference for changing cultivated land into forest (grassland) and controlling ecological environments in western China.