Abstract

ROSALES-BUSTAMANTE, E. P.; LUNA-MORALES, C. del C.  and  CRUZ-LEON, A.. Traditional classification, selection, and morphological variation of land races of pitaya (Stenocereus pruinosus) in Tianguistengo, Oaxaca. Rev. Chapingo Ser.Hortic [online]. 2009, vol.15, n.1, pp.75-82. ISSN 2007-4034.

Given the natural and cultural importance of columnar cacti in Mexico, in an indigenous Mixtec community in which these species have been used and managed for centuries, the infraspecific traditional classification and the morphological variation of 41 characters of stem, flower and fruit in 15 land races of pitaya (Stenocereus pruinosus) were studied. Key informants identified 25 land races, using stem and fruit traits; 10 of these landraces were the most popular, and 15 were analyzed using principal components and cluster analyses. Three principal components explained more than 50% of the variation and cluster analyses defined five groups of land races. Three selection tendencies were identified: large and heavy fruits, long and many thorns, short and few thorns. Yield per plant, harvest season, hardness of peel, moisture content and fruit color were not evaluated, but are used for selection by farmers.

Keywords : plant genetic resources; Pachycereeae; ethnobotany; Mixtec.

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