Table 1 Characterization of three dragon fruit (Hylocereus) species with 34 quantitative traits of cladode, flower and fruit in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Cladode

Length of segments (cm)

73.9

75.9

36.2

60.1

Cladode width (mm)

39

38

53

35

Arch height of cladode (mm)

6

4

2

2

Distance between areoles (mm)

38

35

34

40

Number of spines

4

4

5

3

Length of areoles (mm)

3

4

1

1

Flower

Flower bud length (mm)

25

26

25

21

Flower bud width (mm)

12

14

16

9

Pericarpel length (mm)

205

243

246

246

Pericarpel width (mm)

37

36

37

32

Flower pericarpel: separation of bracts

7.58

8.46

7.16

8.12

Flower length (cm)

23.22

19.26

18.36

22.15

Flower: length of style (cm)

13.42

7.34

7.02

12.89

Flower: number of stigma lobes

28.2

23.4

20.3

28.1

Flower bifurcation of stigma lobes (cm)

2.18

1.76

1.67

2.13

Distance of anthers below stigma (mm)

15

15

15

16

Days to bud initiation (DFT)

457.8

422.5

863.8

845.6

Days to anthesis

30.6

29.8

33.5

37.3

Average no. of flowers plant⁻¹ fruiting cycle⁻¹

11.3

12.5

10.3

15.8

Fruit

Fruit length (cm)

15.2

13.9

10.1

8.9

Fruit diameter (cm)

10.9

9.6

9.3

4.2

Total fruit weight (g)

419.3

267.4

106

26.5

Peel weight (g)

160.5

97.3

45.6

16.3

Pulp weight (g)

258.8

170.1

61.9

10.3

No. of bracts

37

33

27

59

Length of the apex bracts (mm)

62

29

47

21

Width of the base of the bract (mm)

47

32

23

8

Distance between bract to bract (mm)

51

37

41

10

TSS ( ^oB)

11.2

15.9

9.1

18.3

Titrable acidity (%)

0.22

0.19

0.28

0.16

Average fruit set fruiting cycle⁻¹ plant⁻¹ (%)

83.8

63.9

44.9

41.3

Days from anthesis to fruit maturity

19.3

22.5

18.7

25.6

Number of fruiting cycles

07

08

02

01

Average fruit yield season⁻¹ plant⁻¹ (Kg)

6.3

5.2

1.8

1.1