Abstract
Fruits of vine and columnar cacti are increasingly popular in many countries. This chapter discusses vine and columnar cacti cultivated for their fruits, known as pitahaya or pitaya: pitahaya generally refers to fruits of vine (climbing) species and pitaya to fruits of columnar (erect) ones. The red pitahaya (Hylocereus undatus) is the most popular vine cactus and is a worldwide crop, while the yellow pitaya (Stenocereus queretaroensis) is the most cultivated among the columnar cacti. In the chapter, the cytology, breeding systems, environmental constraints, horticultural aspects, and commercialization of the main cultivated species are examined.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Cacti: Biology and Uses |
| Pages | 184-197 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 7 Oct 2002 |
Keywords
- Vine cacti
- columnar cacti
- pitahaya
- pitaya
- red pitahaya
- Hylocereus undatus
- Yellow pitaya
- Stenocereus queretaroensis