Influencia de diferentes fotoperiodos en la estimulación de los botones florales en el cultivo de pitahaya (Hylocereus undatus).

Abstract

The study examines the influence of different photoperiods on the stimulation of floral buds in pitahaya (Hylocereus undatus), a crop with high economic and nutritional value. Conducted at the Redwvill farm in Guayas, Ecuador, the experiment utilized a completely randomized design with four artificial light treatments (0, 3, 6, and 11 hours/day) applied to three-year-old plants over a three-month period. The treatment with three hours of artificial light showed the best results, achieving an average of 17.6 floral buds per plant, while the control group without light produced no flowers. Although the treatments with 6 and 11 hours of light increased flowering compared to the control, they did not surpass the effectiveness of the three-hour photoperiod. Statistical analyses, using ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis tests, confirmed significant differences among treatments, highlighting the positive impact of this photoperiod. Artificial light emerges as a key tool to optimize flowering under low-light conditions. Further research on variations in photoperiods and light intensities tailored to local conditions is recommended to improve the quality and quantity of the harvest. The study concludes that implementing three hours of artificial light daily is an efficient strategy to maximize floral productivity in this globally significant crop.