Pitahaya / Dragon fruit
Selenicereus spp.
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Selenicereus spp., commonly known as Pitahaya or Dragon Fruit, is an epiphytic cactus from the family Cactaceae, native to Central America. It has become an important agricultural crop due to its unique fruit and adaptability to diverse climates.
- Plant Characteristics: The pitahaya plant is a climbing or vining cactus with aerial roots that allow it to attach to surfaces. Its stems are fleshy and segmented, often with prominent spines. The flowers are large, nocturnal, and highly fragrant, promoting pollination by moths and bats.
- Fruit Features: The fruit is oval or oblong, with thick, leathery skin that has prominent, spiny scales. Its flesh, which can be white, pink, or red depending on the variety, is sweet and mildly flavored, containing small, edible black seeds. The visually striking appearance makes it a popular choice in fresh fruit markets.
- Global Cultivation: While native to Central America, pitahaya is now cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, including Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Israel, China, Australia, and the United States. Vietnam is a leading producer, with large-scale commercial operations targeting export markets.
- Adaptability and Sustainability: Pitahaya thrives in arid and semiarid regions, requiring well-drained soils and minimal water. Its low water needs and resistance to drought make it a sustainable crop choice. Additionally, dragon fruit cultivation is often aligned with environmentally conscious agricultural practices.
- Economic and Nutritional Value: Pitahaya has significant economic potential due to its popularity in international markets. The fruit is rich in antioxidants, vitamins (notably vitamin C), and dietary fiber, contributing to its reputation as a health-promoting food. It is consumed fresh and in processed forms, such as juices, jams, desserts, and smoothies.
Genome assemblies
There are several sequenced genomes of pitahaya available:
- Selenicereus undatus (formerly known as Hylocereus undatus) cv. David Bowie, by Zheng et al. 2021.Available at NCBI.
- Selenicereus undatus (formerly known as Hylocereus undatus) cv. Guanhuabai, by Chen et al. 2021. Available at www.pitayagenomic.com.
- Selenicereus monacanthus (formerly known as Hylocereus polyrhizus) cv. ShuangSe (T2T), by Chen et al., 2025. Available at figshare.
- Selenicereus monacanthus (formerly known as Hylocereus polyrhizus) cv. DaHong, by Chen et al., 2025. Available at figshare.
- Selenicereus monacanthus (formerly known as Selenicereus polyrhizus) cv. Dahong, by Li et al., 2025.Available at ENA.
- Selenicereus megalanthus, by Zaman et al., 2025. Available at the figshare.
- Selenicereus stenopterus (formerly known as Hylocereus stenopterus) Wild variety. Honghuaqinglong, by Chen et al., 2025. Available at figshare.
Genome assembly stats
Overall statistics on pitahaya genome assemblies published by Zheng et al. 2021, by Chen et al. 2021, by Chen et al., 2025, by Li et al., 2025 , and by Zaman et al., 2025.
| S. monocanthus | S. megalanthus | S. undatus | S. stenopterus | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chenᵃ* 2025 | Li 2025* | Chenᵃ 2025 | Zaman* | Zhengᵃ* | Chenᵃ* | |
| Sequence count | 669 | 11 | 1006 | 425 | 31970 | 1076 |
| Total length (Mb) | 1568.06 | 1429.06 | 1475.55 | 1791.59 | 1326.73 | 1499.90 |
| Longest sequence (Mb) | 168.04 | 161.45 | 162.91 | 204.98 | 128.62 | 165.21 |
| Shortest sequence (Mb) | 0.01 | 96.03 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 1.00E-3 | 0.01 |
| Average length (Mb) | 2.34 | 129.91 | 1.47 | 4.22 | 0.04 | 1.39 |
| Number of Ns (%) | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 12.26 | 0.02 |
| GC (%) | 36.95 | 36.20 | 37.23 | 37.08 | 37.36 | 37.17 |
| N50 (Mb) | 133.01 | 135.16 | 130.04 | 166.19 | 109.66 | 134.59 |
| L50 (sequences) | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| BUSCO completenessb (%) | 92.45 | 97.04 | 92.06 | 92.50 | 89.98 | 91.80 |
a No gene models available, BUSCO based on Helixer prediction.
b BUSCO based on embryophyta_odb12 dataset.
Taxonomy
| Kingdom | Viridiplantae |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Streptophyta |
| Class | Magnoliopsida |
| Order | Caryophyllales |
| Family | Cactaceae |
| Genus | Selenicereus (A.Berger) Britton & Rose |
