Quality of fruits of pitaya (Hylocereus undatus [Haworth] Britton & Rose) according to physiological maturity. A review

Abstract

The fruit of pitaya has occupied a growing niche in the fruit market, since its organoleptic characteristics and rusticity have attracted the attention of consumers and producers, respectively. The organoleptic and nutritional quality of fruits are due to maturity stage. Therefore, determining the period in which the fruits reach the physiological maturity is important, since it aids the planning of the harvest and the quality control of fruits. In this sense, the aim of this review is establish the ideal period for harvesting their fruits of pitaya (Hylocereus undatus), by determining of the physiological maturity point. For this species, the number of days from anthesis to the full development of the fruit has shown to be the most reliable variable to determine the moment of harvest. From this designation, it is possible to indicate the stage (physiological maturity) in which the fruits present characteristics favorable to the species, for example, color, soluble solids content, ratio, and others. It is known that the place of production and the edaphoclimatic conditions are able to interfere and cause variation in the period in which the fruits reach the physiological maturity. Some studies in Mexico confirmed that the physiological maturation of pitaya fruits occurred between 25 and 31 days after anthesis (DAA). Other researches, including in Brazil, confirmed that this point occurred from 28 to 32 DAA. Thus, from the scientific studies carried out and published in the literature, to avoid losing their commercial value of fruits, it is recommended to harvest this fruits of pitaya between 25 and 32 DAA.

Phenotypic Diversity of Morphological Characteristics of Pitahaya (Selenicereus Megalanthus Haw.) Germplasm in Colombia

“…The main differences among several Hylocereus species were the size and color of the fruits and the number and form of the spines [21]. Also, the variety and flowering time have a large influence on the physio-morphological traits of dragon fruits [4,32].…”

Morphoagronomic Evaluation of Yellow Pitahaya (Selenicereus megalanthus Haw.) in Miraflores, Colombia

“…This affirmation corresponded with the analysis carried out on 12 Selenicereus materials, in which differences were observed in the shapes of the stems and the spines (Figure 5). The authors of [24] stated that the number of spines per areola was just as important as the height of the undulations because it differentiated genotypes. However, [25] observed statistical differences in the stem variables, one of the most important being the presence of wax.…”

“…The main differences between various Hylocereus species were reported in terms of the size and color of fruits and the number and shape of spines [23]. In addition, the variety and flowering time have large influences on the physiomorphological characteristics of pitahayas [24,33].…”

Secondary Metabolites of Edible Cacti (Cactaceae) from the South American Andes

“…Different studies show that the fresh weight of pitahaya increases in direct proportion to the development of the fruit, and the content of soluble solids depends on the ripening stage [22,[32][33][34]. Following the physicochemical evaluation of pitahaya grown in Morona Santiago (Ecuador), Sotomayor et al [22] determined that the percentage of peel decreases from 55.9% to 33.4%, while that of the pulp increases from 44.1% to 66.6% between maturity stages 0 and 6.…”