Breeding report of a new pitaya cultivar ‘Yuehong 3' (Hylocereus spp.)

Abstract：‘Yuehong 3'is a new variety with good quality, strong resistance against pitaya canker dis-ease, pink pulp and twisted branches. The seedling was derived from a cross between a semi wild species‘Baishuijing'and a main cultivar‘Lianhuahong 1'. In 2006, it was initially selected from 5 000 hybridplants for its twisted branches and special pink pulp. After several years of observation and testing, it wascharacterized by good quality, strong resistance against pitaya canker disease, pink pulp and twistedbranches. In March of 2016, it was approved by the crop variety Approval Committee of Guangdong Prov-ince of China and named‘Yuehong 3'. The margins of green stems are wavy and irregular distortion, andthe distortion degree increases as the aging, while the parents were not distort stems. The surface of stemsis smooth with obvious waxy. Axillary buds are evolved into spines. The scalloped wing's diameter of theyoung stem is 0.40 cm and each has two to five spines with brown color, while the parents are spinier andlonger than it. The flowers are mainly distributed in the middle and top of the branches and they can beopened at the same time. The shape of flower bud apex is round. Perianth is big, and the apex of it is flatjust before the opening of the bud. The length and width of perianth is 13.60 cm and 7.20 cm. The lengthand width of pericarpel is 15.40 cm and 3.50 cm. The color of petal is white. The main color of sepal is or-ange and yellow, and the pattern of secondary color is edged. The length of style is 21.60 cm, the numberof stigma lobes is between 23 and 30, and the color of stigma lobe is yellow and green. The position of an-thers in relation to stigma is below. Fruit is nearly round, and the length and width of fruit is 8.90 cm and8.50 cm. The number of bracts is medium and the length of apical bracts is medium. The position of bractstowards the peel is slightly held out. The color of peel is pink and red, and the main color of middle bractsis red. The width of the base of the bracts is 2.30 cm and the thickness of peel is 0.20 cm. The color offlesh is pink, fresh and sweet. The average fruit weight is 285 g. It contains total soluble solids of 14.10%, the total sugar of 9.54%, reducing sugar of 8.97% and the titrate acid of 0.145%. The annual bloom and fruit is 10-12 batches in Guangzhou. It has good characteristics as more ability in flowering and the fruit setting, good quality, special pink pulp and strong resistance against pitaya canker disease.