Physicochemical and chemical modifications of baby pitaya during its development

• Published in: Scientia horticulturae 2022-12, Vol.306, p.111460, Article 111460
• Main Authors: Rodrigues, Luiz José, Tomás, Maria da Graça, de Paula, Nélio Ranieli Ferreira, Pinto, Daniella Moreira, Boas, Eduardo Valério de Barros Vilas, da Costa, Carlos Alexandre Rocha
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cactaceae; Ethylene; Respiration; Ripening; Selenicereus setaceus; Wild specimens
• ISSN: 0304-4238; 1879-1018
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scienta.2022.111460

•The fruits of pitaya baby is high concentrations of soluble solids and total sugars.•The interval between anthesis (flower opening) and fruit abscission is 70 days.•The baby pitaya has a double sigmoidal growth pattern.•The baby pitaya can be classified as a non-climacteric fruit.•Changes in visually observed during the development of baby pitaya was the appearance of some red spots on the fruit peel at 49 days after anthesis are related to maturation. The physical, chemical and physiological changes over the development of baby pitaya (Selenicereus setaceus) native fruit from the Brazilian Cerrado and sensory acceptability in different stages of maturation were studied. Flowers were marked at anthesis and fruit were collected every 7 days, from the date of its formation until abscission. The interval between anthesis until abscission of the fruit was 70 days, with the inflorescence occurring in late August and the first ripe fruit found in October and peak of production in November. The pattern of cumulative growth of the fruit followed a double sigmoid model, characterized by 2 phases of pronounced growth, with the final size obtained at 63 days after anthesis. The baby pitaya collected 63 days after anthesis was shown with a completely red peel (L*=46.52, a*=28.32, chlorophyll=0.79 mg.100g−1, betacyanin=1.28 mg.100g−1). The pulp showed marked changes in some chemical constituents, resulting in reduced contents of starch and titratable acidity and high concentrations of soluble solids and total sugars. Respiration and ethylene production by baby pitaya was shown with a slight decline over the assessment period, displaying a behavior similar to non-climacteric fruits, in addition to being characterized as a product with very low respiratory activity.