Evaluation of pitaya plants (Stenocereus spp.) of natural populations of Monte Escobedo, Zacatecas.

In Zacatecas, the pitayas (Stenocereus spp) exist in several municipalities where they are collected for local consumption, although in recent years, in the municipality of Monte Escobedo, Zac., it has become a crop of high prospects for commercialization. Therefore, in this work an evaluation was made of four phenotypes of pitaya (according to the color of the mature fruit: yellow, white, purple and red). The fruits were harvested in commercial maturity. The following were evaluated in the plant: stem diameter, plant height, number of shoots per plant and number of fruits per shoot. In the fruit, the following were evaluated: fruit weight, pulp weight, peel weight, polar diameter, equatorial diameter, firmness, total sugars, reducing sugars, pH, titratable acidity and protein content in seeds and pulp. Yellow pitayas exhibited greater plant height with respect to the purple and a height equal to that of white and red. The yellow pitayas had a greater number of shoots per plant compared with the white and red. With respect to stem diameter, the yellow pitaya was smaller than other phenotypes. The purple pitayas presented a higher number of shoots with fruit than the white and red varieties. Due to the characteristics of fruit length, weight of rind, pulp and fruit, firmness, total soluble solids, titratable acids, protein content in pulp and seed, the red pitaya fruits are an option with potential for production and commercialization. ADDITIONAL