Plant Gene and Trait 2025, Vol.16, No.4, 182-193 http://genbreedpublisher.com/index.php/pgt 182 Meta Analysis Open Access Genetic Diversity and Breeding Applications of Pitaya Germplasm: A Meta-Analysis Approach Zhen Li 1, Zhonggang Li 2 1 Hainan Institute of Biotechnology, Haikou, 570206, Hainan, China 2 Tropical Specialty Crops Research Center, Hainan Institute of Tropical Agricultural Resources, Sanya, 572025, Hainan, China Corresponding email: zhonggang.li@hitar.org Plant Gene and Trait, 2025, Vol.16, No.4 doi: 10.5376/pgt.2025.16.0020 Received: 20 Jul., 2025 Accepted: 23 Aug., 2025 Published: 31 Aug., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Li and Li, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Li Z., and Li Z.G., 2025, Genetic diversity and breeding applications of pitaya germplasm: a meta-analysis approach, Plant Gene and Trait, 16(4): 182-193 (doi: 10.5376/pgt.2025.16.0020) Abstract Pitaya (scientific name Hylocereus) is a tropical fruit that has become more popular in recent years and is now cultivated in many parts of the world. This study collects and organizes existing research data to analyze the genetic variation and breeding potential of pitaya. The pitaya varieties that are widely grown today show low genetic diversity, but germplasm resources from different regions still present some genetic differences. Molecular marker tools commonly used in research, such as SSR, ISSR, and RAPD, show that there is a moderate level of genetic diversity and some population structure in pitaya. These tools can help select good parent plants, use marker-assisted selection for target traits, and introduce wild species or germplasm from other areas. However, breeding work still faces problems such as limited sharing of germplasm resources and low application of molecular technology. In the future, building a global germplasm database and using multi-omics and smart breeding technologies may be helpful. Keywords Pitaya; Germplasm resources; Genetic diversity; Meta-analysis; Breeding application 1 Introduction Pitaya, also known as cactus fruit or red dragon fruit, is native to tropical and subtropical forests in Latin America. In recent years, it has become one of the fastest growing tropical fruits in the world (Chen et al., 2021). Pitaya is bright in color, special in appearance, sweet in taste, and nutritious. According to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the planting area and production of pitaya are increasing rapidly, especially in Vietnam and China. In Vietnam, the planting area of pitaya has exceeded 50 000 hectares, and 1.3 million tons can be harvested each year, mainly sold to China and the European Union. In China, after more than ten years of development, pitaya has become the fifth largest tropical fruit, second only to lychee, longan, banana and mango (Li et al., 2024). At present, more than 30 countries around the world have begun to commercially grow pitaya. The genetic diversity of pitaya is relatively rich. In many places, the breeding basis of pitaya is still relatively simple. For fruit trees, the more germplasm resources there are, the more disease-resistant, high-yield and high-quality varieties can be combined (Mastretta-Yanes et al., 2018; Swarup et al., 2021). Like bananas and grapes, in the past, only a few similar varieties were used, resulting in great losses when encountering pests and diseases. To cultivate new pitaya varieties with high yield and stability, it is best to start with seed materials with relatively large genetic differences (Joshi et al., 2023). Although the pitaya industry has developed rapidly, its genetic basis is still weak, and the existing germplasm resources have not been fully utilized (Shah et al., 2023). In Southeast Asia, most white-fleshed pitayas come from a variety called ‘Vietnamese White’. Some red-fleshed pitaya are hybrids of red and white varieties, but their genetic backgrounds are also very close. The study used SSR molecular marker analysis to find that many loci have only 1 to 3 alleles, indicating that the diversity is not high (Rifat et al., 2019). In the origin of Latin America, some local pitayas still retain large genetic differences due to long-term cultivation and farmers' selection. However, these local varieties are rarely used in modern breeding. In the traditional gardens of the Mayans in Mexico, the diversity of pitaya is also decreasing, and many farmers only grow a few varieties with high yields but close genetic relationships.
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