Postharvest Quality of Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus spp.) after X-ray Irradiation Quarantine Treatment

The quality of three dragon fruit clones (Hylocereus spp.) was determined after x-ray irradiation for disinfestation of quarantine pests. Fruit were treated with irradiation doses of 0, 200, 400, 600, or 800 Gy and stored for 12 days at 10 C. Irradiation did not affect soluble solids content, titratable acidity, or fructose concentrations. Glucose, sucrose, and total sugar concentrations decreased linearly as dose increased. Minimal softening occurred in the outer flesh layers for fruit treated with 400 or 600 Gy irradiation. Surface color, peel injury, and bract appearance differed among the three clones with irradiation stress, but in all cases, visible changes were minor. Fruit decay was absent or minimal, and disease ratings were not affected by irradiation. Irradiation treatment of dragon fruit at doses 800 Gy or less would ensure visual and compositional quality while providing quarantine security.