Evaluación de la calidad de la fruta de pitahaya roja (Hylocereus undatus) en diferentes estados de madurez cultivada en tres tipos de tutores, en el cantón La Joya de los Sachas, provincia de Orellana.

Abstract

The present research proposes: To evaluate the quality of red pitahaya fruit (Hylocereus undatus) at different stages of maturity, grown on three types of tutors, in La Joya de los Sachas canton, province of Orellana. The experimental unit consisted of nine red pitahaya plants with white pulp, per treatment (T1: hobo stake, T2: Erythrina stake, T3: concrete post) (three stakes) with three replicates, in total, that is, 36 experimental units. Four flower buds were selected on each plant, for a total of 324 flower buds. The following variables were quantified: fruit weight, fruit diameter, fruit length, flesh firmness, fruit firmness, flesh weight, peel weight, pH, Brix, titratable acidity. As a result, the concrete stakes showed greater efficiency in fruit growth, pulp and peel weight; in the fruit weight variable there was an increase as fruit growth progressed, reaching a weight of 569.58g at stage 819; as pitahaya fruit maturity increased, the soluble solids content increased, reaching a value of 13.5 degrees Brix; the firmness of the peel decreased as maturity increased. It is concluded that the most effective tutor for a good development of pitahaya fruit is the concrete tutor, without leaving behind the live tutors (Spondias mombin L. and Erythrina spp.) which provide a decrease in production costs, reduce the incidence of pests, do not cause damage to cladodes, flower buds, flowers and fruits, in addition. It is recommended to promote postharvest studies, with the different stages of fruit ripening to define the time that the fruit can be stored on perch and refrigerated.