Yucatan Peninsula Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Few plants meet so many benefits as the gender Hylocereus spp., dragonfruit or pitahaya: its multiple species are well adapted to different environments (from 500 to 1,500 mm precipitation) and edaphic conditions; pitahaya is uncomplicated to reproduce and crop; it delivers harvest in a very short period (occasionally even in the first year of establishment); and its fruits are not only tasty but also decorative.
Therefore, it is no wonder that (in Mexico as well as in other countries) the area cropped with dragonfruit has increased continuously in the past 20 years. The growing interest in Hylocereus spp. is also documented in a rising number of publications dedicated to this crop, focusing on management (Castillo et al., 1996; Infante, 1990; OIRSA, 2000; Reyes, 1995; Rodríguez et al., 1993), phenology (Castillo and Ortiz, 1994), pollination (Weiss, 1994), harmful diseases (Masanto et al., 2009; Valencia-Bot et al., 2003; 2013), pest management (Barrera, 2003), nutrient composition (Castillo and Calix, 1996), physiology (Khaimov and Mizrahi, 2006; Raveh, 1998; Weiss et al.,. 2010), fruit quality and genetics (Garcia et al. , 2013).
In the Mexican State of Quintana Roo (central Yucatan Peninsula), cropping of pitahaya at commercial scale began in 1996; yet, the boom initiated with the beginning of the 21st century when it converted in the most relevant not-traditional fruit of the state. Its resistance to drought and its adaptation to the predominant calcareous and stony soils that characterize the central part of this state have facilitated the distribution of the crop in numerous communities. Currently, more than 50% of the production of pitahaya of Quintana Roo is obtained in the so called "Chunes" region (involving the communities of Chun-Yah, Chun-Pon, and Chun-On), belonging to the Municipality of Felipe Carrillo Puerto. In 2011, dragonfruit in the "Chunes" was cropped at an area of 498 ha. However, only 161 ha showed commercial and professional production, providing yearly 483 t of fruit, which are harvested in the months of June to October. Although exact data is not available, local producer organizations estimate an output of 6 t/ha.
Despite the usual extensive management of the dragonfruit in this region (few synthetic inputs, commonly incorporation in local ecosystems, low planting density, and scarce crop management), this relatively low performance of pitahaya in the "Chunes" represents only 50% of the yield potential in similar climatic and edaphic conditions.
Since this low yield is related to a lack of information related to crop management, a manual for managing the pitahaya was developed in a participative project involving local universities, governmental agencies and farmer representatives. Due to the low nutrient demand of the crop, its generally easy management, scarce economic resources of farmers in the “Chunes” region and the uncomplicated integration of pitahaya to the local environment, the present manual has a focus on sustainable cropping of the dragonfruit, principally following the procedures of organic farming. This emphasis is also considering the growing demand for organically produced pitahaya. The presents manual involves results obtained of trails implemented 2010 to 2014 in the “Chunes” region, as well as experience shared by local dragonfruit-producers.