Search Results (125)

Polysaccharides isolated from the peel of Hylocereus undatus exhibit promising anti-inflammatory activity; however, the underlying mechanisms—particularly their modulatory effects on cutaneous microbiota composition and host immune responses—remain incompletely characterized. This study investigates the therapeutic potential of polysaccharides isolated from the peel of Hylocereus undatus in the management of inflammatory cutaneous wounds. The polysaccharide extracted from the peel of Hylocereus undatus via ultrasound-assisted extraction is an acidic heteropolysaccharide, with galacturonic acid and rhamnose as its dominant monosaccharide components. It exhibits low crystallinity, a porous structure, and good thermal stability. In a mouse wound model, treatment with the polysaccharide extracted from the peel of Hylocereus undatus significantly accelerated wound closure as early as day 3 (** p < 0.01). By day 9, the wound closure rate approached that of the positive control group and remained significantly higher than that of the untreated group (** p < 0.01), exceeding 90%. Treatment with the polysaccharide advanced the inflammatory peak, as evidenced by elevated anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10 and TGF-β) and suppression of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6. Immunofluorescence staining confirmed that polysaccharide promoted cell proliferation and neovascularization at the wound site. In conclusion, polysaccharides isolated from the peel of Hylocereus undatus accelerate skin wound healing by modulating the skin microbiota, enhancing the anti-inflammatory response, and promoting tissue regeneration, highlighting its potential as a natural wound dressing. Full article

Red dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus), also referred to as pitaya, is an exotic fruit rich in macro- and micro-nutrients, including powerful natural antioxidants, that brings numerous benefits to human health, mostly for the control and management of the oxidative stress. Therefore, it has a great potential for industrial exploitation aimed at maximizing the extraction of its high-value bioactive compounds, specifically betacyanins (red pigments) and phenolics, for the production of functional foods, beverages, and health products. This aim of this study was to evaluate the production of high-quality concentrated red dragon fruit juice by using an integrated membrane system based on a combination of ultrafiltration (UF) and osmotic distillation (OD) processes capable of effective, but still mild concentration of valuable juice. Specifically, after juice extraction, the raw juice was preliminarily clarified by UF and then concentrated by OD up to 41 and 50 °Brix using dehydrate calcium chloride brine as the osmotic agent. The performance of UF and OD membranes was investigated under selected operating and hydrodynamic conditions. In addition, the impact of the integrated process on the quality of clarified and concentrated juices was assessed in terms of physicochemical properties and antioxidant activity. Physicochemical parameters and antioxidant activity were largely preserved after concentration, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed process in maintaining the nutritional, organoleptic, and nutraceutical properties of the juice. Full article

Agroforestry systems with live stakes have been proposed as management strategies to enhance soil and canopy-related processes in perennial crops. However, their integrated effects on productivity under Amazonian conditions remain poorly understood. This study evaluated the role of live stakes as modulators of soil and canopy conditions in Hylocereus undatus cultivated in the Ecuadorian Amazon. The field study lasted three years and used live stakes (Spondias mombin and Erythrina sp.) and an inert concrete stake. S. mombin exhibited the highest annual biomass contribution (14 t ha⁻¹ year⁻¹), approximately double that of Erythrina sp., and a higher abundance of earthworms (20 individuals m⁻²), suggesting greater soil biological activity. Canopy-mediated conditions differed among stake systems, with shade levels progressively increasing over time and reaching up to 67% under S. mombin. However, the crop’s physiological response, assessed through leaf relative chlorophyll content, was dominated by seasonal variability and did not show structural differences among the systems. Yield was comparable between S. mombin and the inert stake (18–20 t ha⁻¹) and lower under Erythrina sp. (14 t ha⁻¹). Overall, live stakes influenced system functioning, defined here as the combined response of soil biological indicators (earthworm abundance) and canopy-related indicators (shade percentage and relative chlorophyll content) in relation to yield. Although these effects did not translate into increased yield under the evaluated conditions, they may contribute to improvements in soil quality and biological activity over longer time scales. Full article

Hainan is the dominant production area of the red-fleshed pitaya (Hylocereus undatus) cv. ‘Jindu No.1’ in China, and cutting propagation is the main method for its large-scale seedling cultivation. Plant growth regulators (PGRs) are the key factors regulating the rooting of cuttings. Existing studies mostly focus on the concentration optimization of a single agent, lack systematic broad-spectrum screening of commonly used PGRs in agriculture, and have the problem of disconnection between laboratory results and field production. To screen an efficient root-promoting PGR scheme suitable for large-scale seedling cultivation in Hainan production areas, this study established a three-level experimental system of “broad-spectrum primary screening→gradient re-screening→soil culture scenario verification”, used 14 kinds of PGRs commonly used in agricultural production as materials, and carried out a systematic evaluation combined with principal component analysis (PCA). 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and potassium indole-3-butyrate (K-IBA) were identified as high-efficiency agents in the primary screening, with a rooting rate of 100%, and the core root morphological indexes were significantly better than those of the water control (p < 0.05). Two independent experiments verified the stability of the “total growth–thickness” binary regulation mechanism of the pitaya root system. In the re-screening test, 400 mg·L⁻¹ NAA had the best comprehensive performance, synergistically improving the total root growth and root thickness, and 125 mg·L⁻¹ K-IBA had the most significant effect in promoting the longitudinal extension of roots, with the average root length increased by 760.0% compared with the control. Soil culture tests confirmed that the two optimal schemes had stable and reliable application effects in field substrate cultivation. The results of this study can provide technical support for the large-scale seedling cultivation of ‘Jindu No.1’ pitaya, and the established three-level screening system also provides a methodological reference for PGR screening in cutting propagation of similar tropical crops. Full article

Dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus) is a high-value crop in the Philippines that has gained commercial importance due to its nutritional benefits and profitability. However, determining the optimal maturity stage remains challenging for farmers relying on manual classification. We developed an automated system that integrates You Only Look Once Version 7 (YOLOv7) for dragon fruit detection. A dataset of dragon fruit images across three maturity levels, unripe, ripe, and over-ripe, was collected and used to train the model. The system classifies maturity stages based on external features such as color and shape, and its performance will be evaluated using a confusion matrix. By providing accurate classification, the proposed system aims to assist farmers in harvesting dragon fruits at their optimal stage, improving yield quality and market competitiveness while reducing human error. Full article

Pitahaya (Hylocereus spp.) production is increasingly affected by climatic factors, as well as by phytopathogens and abiotic stress, leading to delays in agronomic interventions and reduced productivity. The objective was to design, implement, and validate a multimodal system (CARYPAR) that enables early disease detection and agile decision-making, characterized by low latency and reduced dependence on cloud connectivity. The methodology integrates climate reanalysis from NASA POWER, biophysical remote sensing variables derived from Sentinel-1/2, and proximal computer vision captured via mobile devices using a late fusion architecture and an optimized convolutional neural network, EfficientNet-V2B0, which discriminates between optimal and pathological conditions in vegetative tissues and fruit. The results of the experimental validation carried out in 160 georeferenced units achieved an overall accuracy of 80.0% and an F1 score of 0.8645 for Bad Fruit. The McNemar test and the operational agreement with agro-industrial experts yielded a Cohen’s Kappa index of κ = 0.6831, with an inference latency reduced to 22.00 ms. It is concluded that the multimodal integration of satellite bio-environmental data with edge computer vision achieves substantial agreement with agronomic expert judgment under heterogeneous field conditions (Cohen’s κ = 0.6831), supporting its role as a decision-support tool rather than a replacement for expert assessment. Therefore, its adoption can enhance real-time irrigation management and crop protection, while contributing to traceability and sustainable resource management in agricultural regions with limited connectivity. Full article

Pitaya is a high-value tropical fruit with a postharvest life constrained by rapid physiological deterioration. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of chitosan-based (CH) biopolymeric coatings, enriched with ascorbic acid (AA), on the postharvest quality and preservation of pitaya fruits stored under refrigeration (12 °C). The fruits were subjected to different treatments and evaluated for biometric and physicochemical parameters, including weight loss, total soluble solids, pH, titratable acidity, and the SS/TA ratio throughout storage. The results demonstrated that the coatings significantly reduced weight loss (e.g., 4.15% for the CH4AA treatment) and contributed to the maintenance of quality attributes, delaying senescence-associated processes. Among the treatments, the combination of chitosan with ascorbic acid was the most effective in preserving fruit quality, extending the marketable shelf life from 10 to 20 days. These findings indicate that the use of biopolymeric coatings is a promising strategy to prolong the shelf life and maintain the postharvest quality of pitaya, with potential applications in commercial supply chains. Full article

Dragon fruit (Hylocereus spp.) is an emerging crop in the tropics and subtropics, but its production is increasingly threatened by diseases that reduce yield and profitability. Early diagnosis of these diseases is crucial for timely intervention, yet visual symptoms often appear only after significant infection has occurred. The study aims to evaluate how optical spectral reflectance can detect dragon fruit diseases and identify the most responsive spectral regions. In this study, six major dragon fruit stem diseases: Neoscytalidium stem canker, stem sunburn, anthracnose, Botryosphaeria stem canker, Bipolaris stem rot, and bacterial soft rot were characterized by the goal of identifying unique spectral signatures for early detection and differentiation of each disease. Seventy-two potted dragon fruit plants of three distinct species were grown under four organic vermicompost treatments (0, 5, 10, 20 tons/acre) in both open-field and high-tunnel conditions together, in a randomized complete block design. A handheld spectroradiometer (350–2500 nm) was used to collect reflectance from the diseased and healthy cladodes (stem segment). Various spectral vegetative indices were computed to identify disease-specific features. The results revealed distinct spectral features for each disease. Infected cladodes consistently exhibited higher reflectance especially in the visible region (400–700 nm) and the near-infrared region (900–2500 nm) of the spectrum than healthy cladodes. The Normalized Difference Vegetative Index (NDVI), Green Normalized Difference Vegetative Index (GNDVI), and Spectral Ratio (SR) spectral indices were significantly higher in healthy plants than in diseased ones, reflecting higher chlorophyll concentration and plant biomass. Conversely, the 1110/810 ratio was lower in healthy plants than in diseased plants, suggesting a more compact internal plant structure. Statistical analysis revealed highly significant differences (p < 0.00001) between healthy and diseased spectra in the Red, Green and NIR regions. Linear Discriminant Analysis(LDA) achieved the highest classification accuracy (OA = 0.642, κ = 0.488), though performance was limited for minority classes. These findings demonstrate that targeted spectral sensing can identify dragon fruit diseases before obvious symptoms emerge. By pinpointing disease-specific spectral indices, our study paves the way for early-warning tools such as targeted multispectral sensors or drone-based imaging that would enable growers to intervene sooner and limit losses. These results highlight the potential for development of UAV-based or portable spectral sensors for large-scale, near real-time disease monitoring in dragon fruit production. Full article

Dragon plants is a specific term for a group of species whose names refer to “dragon”, such as dragon’s blood or dragon fruit, combining exotic origins with interesting biological properties. The aim of the study was to analyse and compare the cosmetic potential of dragon fruit—pitaya (Hylocereus spp.) and dragon tree resin (Dracaena draco), known as dragon’s blood. This article presents the botanical characteristics of both raw materials, their chemical composition, and the most important bioactive compounds. A review of cosmetic properties was conducted, such as antioxidant, moisturizing, regenerative, anti-inflammatory, and colouring effects. The results of the analysis indicate that dragon fruit provides easily accessible and mild active substances, making it suitable for use in a wide range of skincare products. Dragon’s blood exhibits stronger and more targeted biological activity, including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and regenerative properties; however, its use is limited by the low availability of the raw material and species protection. The conclusions emphasize the complementarity of the two ingredients. Pitaya serves as a preventive and care raw material, while dragon’s blood can be treated as an exclusive ingredient in specialized preparations and dermocosmetics. The article utilized the available literature, mostly from the past five years. Valuable examples of articles on this topic from 1998 to 2020 were also identified. The main literature source was Google Scholar. Full article

Yellow pitaya (Hylocereus megalanthus) is highly photosensitive and therefore strongly influenced by light availability. In winter, insufficient sunlight often induces a “yin–yang effect”, characterized by physiological disparities between the sunlit and shaded sides of east–west-oriented orchards. To elucidate the effects of supplemental lighting parameters on flowering, yield, and fruit quality of shade-grown yellow pitaya, we systematically examined four factors: lighting angle (45°, 60°, 90°), power (12, 15, and 18 W), duration (3, 4, and 5 h per day), and lighting period (10, 20, and 30 days). Compared with no supplemental lighting (net photosynthetic rate = 10.60/11.73 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹, yield = 903/3536.5 kg ha⁻¹, net profit = 6435/72,675 CNY ha⁻¹ in two seasons), a 90° angle in the first season and a 60° angle in the second season increased the net photosynthetic rate by 45.87% and 60%, yield by 165.98% and 145.16%, and net profit by 373.82% and 159.42%, respectively. 18 W lighting power raised average yield and net profit by 176.37% and 278.7%, while 5 h lighting duration enhanced them by 161.29% and 267.66%. Meanwhile, a 20-day lighting period increased yield and profit by 128.91% and 240.6% on average. The recommended parameter set of a 60°/90° angle, 18 W power, 5 h duration, and 20-day lighting period markedly improved photosynthetic performance, yield, and net economic returns of shaded-side yellow pitaya. These improvements were attributed to enhanced carbon assimilation and reallocation from source to sink tissues, which contributed to higher fruit yield and quality and effectively mitigated winter shading stress. Full article

Pitaya (Hylocereus undatus) is a typical Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) plant with strong drought tolerance but high sensitivity to low temperatures. In this study, the responses of pitaya cultivated in the karst areas of Guizhou Province in southwest China to drought and low temperature were examined in winter seasons. The stems of ‘Zihonglong’ pitaya were used as materials to investigate the physiological responses to cold temperatures of pitaya stems under different water conditions, so as to understand the effects of drought stress on the response to low temperatures. The results showed that the severity of chilling injury in pitaya stems was influenced by cold degree and duration and temperature variation. Under sustained low-temperature conditions, the lower the temperature and the longer the duration, the more severe the chilling injury, particularly at 4 °C and below. Drastic temperature rise after exposure to low temperature of 5 °C aggravated the damage, especially when the temperature rise exceeded 10 °C. Compared to normally irrigated plants, those subjected to drought pretreatment exhibited milder chilling injury and higher survival rates under a temperature shift from 5 to 20 °C. The drought-treated pitaya stems had significantly lower membrane leakage and malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) contents compared with the well-watered control under different temperature increases starting from 5 °C. Drought significantly reduced soluble sugars and soluble proteins but increased proline under a temperature shift from 5 to 20 °C. It significantly enhanced the activities of catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) under temperature shifts from 5 to 10 or 20 °C, but had no significant effect on peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Drought also significantly increased ascorbic acid (ASA) content but significantly reduced glutathione (GSH). It is concluded that a drastic post-cold temperature rise causes more severe damage than the cold temperature itself. Drought pretreatment increases the chilling tolerance of pitaya stems. This effect involves an enhanced ASA-GSH cycle, which strengthens ROS scavenging and prevents membrane damage. Full article

Background/Objectives: Hylocereus undatus is a high-value crop whose conventional propagation is inefficient for commercial scaling. This study aimed to develop an optimized protocol for in vitro establishment and to define optimal plant growth regulator (PGR) formulations for shoot multiplication. Methods: methods involved testing six surface sterilization protocols using combinations of a surfactant, a systemic fungicide, ethanol, and sodium hypochlorite. Subsequently, nodal explants were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with ten different concentrations of benzylaminopurine (BAP) and indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), with morphogenic responses evaluated over 60 days. Results: We identified a sterilization treatment that achieved contamination-free cultures with high explant survival percentages. Shoot multiplication was strictly dependent on cytokinin supplementation, with the highest BAP concentration inducing maximal shoot proliferation, while lower concentrations favored shoot elongation. The inclusion of IBA demonstrated a synergistic effect; a balanced BAP–IBA combination optimized shoot proliferation and vigor, whereas a high auxin-to-cytokinin ratio severely repressed organogenesis. Conclusion: this research establishes a reproducible, two-phase protocol that integrates rigorous aseptic establishment with tailored PGR application, effectively balancing high multiplication with superior shoot morphology for the commercial micropropagation of pitahaya. Full article

Hylocereus undatus growth is limited by long-term heat stress, and heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) is crucial in the plant’s heat stress (HS) response. In a previous study, transcriptomic data revealed that Hsp70 family members in pitaya seedlings respond to temperature changes. This study identified 27 HuHsp70 genes in pitaya, analyzed their physicochemical properties (such as molecular weight and isoelectric point), and divided them into five subfamilies with conserved gene structures, motifs (short conserved sequence patterns), and cis-acting elements (regulatory DNA sequences). The Ks value (synonymous substitution rate) ranged from 0.93~3.54, and gene duplication events occurred between 71.17 and 272.19 million years ago (Mya). Under HS, eight and nine differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected at 24 h and 48 h, respectively. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR, a method for measuring gene expression) verified the expression trends, with HuHsp70-11 expression increasing with heat shock duration, indicating that HuHsp70-11 is a key candidate. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses revealed that HuHsp70s, especially HuHsp70-11, play key roles in responding to high temperatures (HT) in H. undatus seedlings. A potential model by which HuHsp70-11 removes excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) and enhances cell membrane permeability was constructed. These results provide new perspectives for exploring the HS response mechanisms and adaptability of H. undatus plants to heat stress. Full article

Localized phosphorus (P) application stimulates root proliferation in nutrient-rich zones, aligns root growth with soil P distribution, and enhances nutrient uptake efficiency. However, whether localized P supply benefits pitaya remains unclear. In this study, pitaya seedlings were used in a rhizobox experiment with four P treatments: no P (No-P), uniform P (Uniform-P1, 50 mg kg⁻¹), localized P (Local-P1, 50 mg kg⁻¹), and uniform high P (Uniform-P2, 200 mg kg⁻¹). Phosphorus treatments significantly affected shoot growth. Localized P supply produced greater shoot biomass than both uniform and high uniform P. It also increased shoot nitrogen and potassium content but did not significantly affect P content. Localized P application strongly promoted root development. Compared with Uniform-P1, Local-P1 increased root biomass, total root length, root surface area, and root volume by 142.11%, 121.77%, 110.25%, and 100.19%, respectively. Moreover, total root length, root surface area, and root volume were positively correlated with nitrogen and potassium content as well as total biomass. These findings demonstrate that localized P supply improves root morphology, enhances nitrogen and potassium acquisition, and promotes shoot growth in pitaya. Full article

This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with Hylocereus polyrhizus juice by-product extract (HJBE) on growth performance, digestive enzyme activity, antioxidant status, immune response, and disease resistance against Edwardsiella tarda in juvenile Pagrus major. The HJBE, prepared from juice-processing residues, contained measurable levels of bioactive compounds, including vitamin C, total phenolics, and flavonoids, and exhibited noticeable antioxidant activity. Five experimental diets containing 0 (control), 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 g/kg HJBE were fed to juvenile red seabream (initial weight of 7.0 ± 0.01 g) for eight weeks. Fish fed the diet containing 1.0 g/kg HJBE (HJBE1) showed significantly higher final weight, weight gain, specific growth rate, feed efficiency, and protein efficiency ratio compared with other groups. Trypsin activity in intestine was also significantly enhanced in the HJBE1 group, suggesting improved feed utilization. Whole-body composition and hematological indices did not differ among treatments. Plasma antioxidant parameters showed a dose-dependent trend, with catalase and glutathione levels lower at inclusion levels of 0.5–1.0 g/kg. Serum lysozyme activity and immunoglobulin M concentrations were significantly higher in fish fed HJBE1 compared to the controls, corresponding to improved survival after E. tarda challenge. These findings suggest that even moderate levels of bioactive compounds in HJBE can beneficially influence antioxidant homeostasis, immune defense, and growth performance. In conclusion, dietary inclusion of 1.0 g/kg HJBE effectively improved growth, digestive physiology, antioxidant balance, and disease resistance in juvenile P. major. Full article