RESUMEN Los frutos de pitaya han ocupado un creciente nicho en el mercado de frutas ya que sus características organolépticas y rusticidad han atraído la atención de los consumidores y productores, respectivamente. La calidad organoléptica y nutricional de los frutos son consecuencia de la fase de maduración. Por lo tanto, determinar el período en que los frutos alcanzan la madurez fisiológica es importante, pues apoya la planificación de la cosecha y el control de calidad de los frutos. En este sentido, esta revisión tiene como objetivo establecer el período ideal para realizar la cosecha de los frutos de la pitaya (Hylocereus undatus), a través de la determinación del punto de madurez fisiológica. Para esta especie, el número de días de la antesis hasta el desarrollo pleno del fruto se ha mostrado como la variable con mayor confiabilidad para determinar el momento de la cosecha. A partir de esta designación, es posible indicar la fase (madurez fisiológica) en que los frutos presentan características favorables a la especie, a ejemplo del color, contenido de sólidos solubles, ratio, entre otras. Se sabe que el lugar de producción y las condiciones edafoclimáticas son capaces de interferir y causar variación en cuanto al período en que los frutos alcanzan la madurez fisiológica. Algunos estudios en México confirmaron que la maduración fisiológica de los frutos de pitaya ocurrió entre los 25 y 31 días después de la antesis (DAA). Otras investigaciones, incluso en Brasil, confirmaron que este punto ocurrió en el período de 28 a 32 DAA. Por lo tanto, a partir de los estudios científicos llevados a cabo y publicados en la literatura, para evitar perder su valor comercial de los frutos de pitaya se recomienda cosecharlos entre 25 y 32 DAA.

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

O trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a germinação de sementes de pitaya submetidas a diferentes potenciais hidrogeniônicos, com ou sem fungicida. Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 3 x 13 x 2, correspondente a três espécies de pitaya (pitaya branca, pitaya híbrida I e pitaya híbrida II), treze potenciais hidrogeniônicos (3,0; 3,5; 4,0; 4,5; 5,0; 5,5; 6,0; 6,5; 7,0; 7,5; 8,0; 8,5 e 9,0) e dois níveis de fungicida (presença e ausência), com quatro repetições. Foram avaliados a porcentagem de germinação, o índice de velocidade e o tempo médio de germinação. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância e as médias comparadas pelo teste de Scott-Knott (p < 0,05). O pH influenciou o índice de velocidade de germinação da pitaya branca. O tempo médio de germinação foi alterado pelos níveis de pH para a pitaya branca e híbrida II. O fungicida não favoreceu a porcentagem de germinação das espécies avaliadas.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate pitaya seed germination under different hydrogen potentials, with or without fungicide treatment. A completely randomized design was employed under a 3 x 13 x 2 factorial scheme, corresponding to three pitaya species (white pitaya, pitaya hybrid I, pitaya hybrid II), thirteen hydrogen potentials (3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, 5.5, 6.0, 6.5, 7.0, 7.5, 8.0, 8.5, and 9.0) and two fungicide conditions (presence and absence), with four replications. The percentage of germination, germination speed index and mean germination time were evaluated. The data were subjected to ANOVA, and the means were compared using the Scott-Knott test (p < 0.05). The pH influenced the germination speed index in white pitaya. The mean germination time was affected by the pH levels for white pitaya and pitaya hybrid II. The fungicide did not increase the germination percentage in the evaluated species.