Prickly Pear Cactus

Question

How does one treat a diseased prickly pear cactus in Albuquerque (westside) New Mexico? Half the tunas have rotted/deteriorated over the winter.

Answer 1

It sounds like your cactus has rot. It is typically causes by too much water during dormant seasons but that normally causes rot at the base, so I think yours is caused by a fungus as the rot is higher. Treat the plant with a fungicide, and if possible, remove any rotted areas.