Efecto de la temperatura y tiempo de almacenamiento en la calidad del polen de pitahaya roja (Hylocereus sp), cantón La Joya de los Sachas, provincia de Orellana.

Abstract

The research consisted in determining the effect of temperature and storage time on quality of Hylocereus sp (red pitahaya) pollen, in Joya of Sachas canton. Three different factors were used for the study, the ecotype, three of red pitahaya with red pulp and one red pitahaya with white pulp, storage temperatures, being 4 and 25 ºC, storage time, 0, 24, 48 and 72 hours. The pollen was collected in eppendorf tubes at 10 o'clock at night, then placed in a solid culture medium to germinate, and the germination percentage was also determined. Pollen was stored at 4 °C, was placed in a closed eppenorf tube, placed in a jar, labeled and placed in the refrigerator and stored, that stored at 25 °C, was placed in an open eppenorf tube, placed in a jar containing 3g of silica gel, closed and labeled and stored. The data obtained were submitted to analysis of variance using general linear and mixed models and the difference between measurements of the treatments was estimated using the minimum significant difference with a significance level of 5%. The ecotype 1 presented the highest germination percentage with 20%, while the others presented values below 18%, the storage temperature of 4 ºC presented 19% germination compared to 11% at 25 ºC, the storage time of zero hours presented 40% germination, the others had values below 9%. It was concluded the viability of pollen decreases with the time, the use of pollen immediately after collection is recommended.