Benefits of Legume Species in an Agroforestry Production System of Yellow Pitahaya in the Ecuadorian Amazon

Yadira Vargas-Tierras,Carlos Caicedo,Alejandra Díaz,Alfonso Suárez-Tapia,Julio Macas,William Viera

doi:10.3390/su13169261

Abstract

Agroforestry systems have become an alternative that promotes the conservation of natural resources and the sustainable production of fruit crops in the Ecuadorian Amazon. However, it is required to demonstrate the benefit of the companion species that make up these production systems. The objective of this research was to determine how the legume species within an agroforestry system influence the yield of yellow dragon fruit (pitahaya), carbon sequestration and nutritional contribution. The experiment was carried out in Palora (province of Morona Santiago) and organized in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The treatments were two agroforestry arrangements and the monoculture as a control treatment. Erythrina poeppigiana, Gliricidia sepium and Flemingia macrophylla were used in the agroforestry arrangements for the contribution of biomass. Results showed that during the five years of study, pitahaya yield was influenced by the quality of the leaf litter (biomass) incorporated in to the fruit crop. Biomass from E. poeppigiana and F. macrophylla as companion crops contributed a greater amount of Ca and Mg, increased C sequestration and crop yield. The results suggest that the use of legume species in agroforestry systems positively affects pitahaya productivity, enabling sustainable agriculture in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Highlights

Published: 18 August 2021Yellow pitahaya (Hylocereus megalanthus sinonimus of Selenicereus megalanthus) is an exotic fruit that is desired worldwide for its flavor, appearance and quality, it possesses nutritional and bioactive components that has allowed the fruit to be considered as a functional food [1,2]
Calcium in biomass (Figure 3) shows that ranges > 55 kg ha−1 and in Magnesium > 12 kg ha−1 are related with higher number of fruit and yield
It was determined that the highest yield was obtained in the two agroforestry systems with 12.89 t ha−1 (E. poeppigiana + F. macrophylla) and 17.17 t ha−1 (G. sepium + F. macrophylla) in relation to the monoculture (8.60 t ha−1 )

Summary

Introduction

Yellow pitahaya (Hylocereus megalanthus sinonimus of Selenicereus megalanthus) is an exotic fruit that is desired worldwide for its flavor, appearance and quality, it possesses nutritional and bioactive components (glucose content, betalains, vitamins, organic acids, dietary soluble fiber, phytoalbumins and minerals) that has allowed the fruit to be considered as a functional food [1,2] This has created an increase demand of this fruit, which has resulted in the expansion of the cultivation area in many countries such as USA, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Panama, Uruguay, Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam [3]. It is grown mainly in the provinces of Pichincha, Manabí and in the Ecuadorian Amazon in Morona Santiago, Orellana and Sucumbíos [6,7].

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