The horticultural potential of jiotilla (Escontria chiotilla [weber] rose) from the Mixteca region of Mexico

Abstract

Jiotilla is a small, purple fruit that grows in the semiarid regions in south east of Mexico. Locals have been eating this fruit for generations and it now has a formal classification and is part of the local economy.1,2 However, jiotilla remains largely unknown outside of its natural habitat. Most people are more familiar with a relative of jiotilla, the prickly pear, which has received substantially more international attention. The purpose of this article is to educate the international horticultural community of the many attributes of this fruit for commercial exploitation to bring the attention to this plant. Although jiotilla is in the early stages of cultivation.3–7 most local farmers continue to allow livestock to graze within the fields.8 Same authors reach the conclusion that this plant has been “domesticated” because slight differences in DNA composition could be detected between wild populations located at long distance of human settlements and populations close to them. Casas et al.4 suggest that larger and fleshier fruits from wild populations are taken more frequently by the people, they eat the fruit and spit seeds close to towns, which over generations made populations show genetic and physical differences.