Influence of location, weather condition, maturity, and plant disease on chemical profiles of dragon fruit (Hylocereus spp.) branches grown in Vietnam

peer reviewedThe diversity in growing conditions, maturity, or diseases directly affects the chemical profiles of plants. This research aimed to characterize the exhaustive chemical constituents of dragon fruit branches harvested on two common seasons at multiple maturities, with or without plant disease, from four different sites in Binh Thuan province, Vietnam. Based on the dry solid, these branches consisted of high amounts of ash (9.38–16.10%), total extractives (18.01–28.96%), and lignin (11.20–16.86%), an intermediate amount of protein (4.63–11.82%), and diversified quantities of cellulose (3.59–16.84%), hemicellulose (5.35–24.15%), monosaccharides (rhamnose, arabinose, xylose, mannose, glucose, and galactose), and fatty acids (C12:0, C14:0, C16:0, C18:1, C18:2, and C18:3 gamma). The season did not influence the amounts of ash, total extractives, and lignin. Nevertheless, the protein and hemicellulose contents of the branches collected in the dry season were higher than those gathered in the rainy season, while the glucose and cellulose values were in the opposite trend. Regarding plant disease, stem rotting syndrome reduced the amount of protein, while brown spot condition enhanced it, whereas both diseases did not alter other chemical characteristics of these branches. Furthermore, the lignin, cellulose, and glucose contents escalated, while the ash, hemicellulose, and galactose values lessened with their maturity. Notably, the contents of protein and total extractives diminished when the maturity was higher than 8 years. The results in this study suggest that dragon fruit branches could be recognized as suitable lignocellulosic biomass with sufficient micronutrients, including nitrogen content for biogas production and other waste valorization processes.Innovation in disease control combined with the management and valorization of dragon fruit culture wast