E. Pimientabarrios et Ps. Nobel, REPRODUCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF PITAYO (STENOCEREUS-QUERETAROENSIS) AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH SOLUBLE SUGARS AND IRRIGATION, Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, 120(6), 1995, pp. 1082-1086
Flower and fruit production by the columnar cactus, Stenocereus queret
aroensis (Weber) Buxbaum, occurred during the dry season in the late w
inter and spring, and the relatively small annual stem extension occur
red primarily during the fall, Thus, reproductive growth does not dire
ctly compete with vegetative growth for resources such as reducing sug
ars, which increased during the wet summer season, a period when total
sugars were decreasing, Stem extension, reproductive demography, frui
t quality, seed size, and seed quality were not influenced by irrigati
on, Final fruit size and seed germination, however, were enhanced by a
pplying water. The times from flower bud differentiation to flower ope
ning and from anthesis to fruit ripening were relatively short and una
ffected by irrigation.