Cultivation of Dragon Fruit in India; A full information Guide

December 4, 2020 Agrovista

Cultivation of Dragon fruit in India; A full information Guide

Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus Sp.) is a perennial climbing cactus plant. Dragon fruit is widely cultivated in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The USA, Australia, and Southeast Asia

Table of Contents

Southeast Asia is the leading growing area of dragon fruit. Dragon Fruit, also known as Red Pitaya Fruit, Dragon fruit has drawn attention among Indian farmers due to its high economic value, medicinal properties, nutritional value, and its color and taste. Dragon fruit was introduced in India in the early 90’s , Since then, the production area under dragon fruit cultivation has continuously increased, and today it is mainly grown in states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, and Kerala. Dragon fruit demand is increasing day by day in the country and to meet the domestic demand, India imports Dragon fruit from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia; hence, dragon fruit cultivation is a good opportunity for the farmers to enhance the farm economy.

Dragon fruit belongs to the cactus family; hence, it requires a long day to flower, and cultivation of this fruit is well suited to dry and frost-free regions. Although the initial investment in the dragon fruit is quite high, it gives substantial results within three to four years of planting.

Nutritive Value of Dragon Fruit;

The nutrient values of a 100-gram serving piece of dragon fruit as per the USDA are as follows:

Serving Size: 100 g		%DV
Calories	52 kcal	0%
Total Carbohydrate	14 g	3%
Dietary Fiber	2.4 g	9.00%
Sugar	10 g
Protein	0.3 g	0%
Cholesterol	0	0
Saturated fat	0	0
Sodium	1 mg	0%
Potassium	107 mg	3%
Iron		0%
Calcium		0%
Vitamin C		7%
Vitamin B6		0%
Magnesium		1%
Vitamin D		0%
Cobalamin		0%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Dragon fruit is a decent source of vitamin C’, magnesium, iron, and crude fibers with a low calorie content; hence, dragon fruit is considered one of the most nutrient-dense fruits.

Medicinal Value of Dragon Fruits;

1) It reduces the risk of diabetes and cancer

2) Boost the Immunity

3) Good for the digestive system

4) Helps in decreasing cholesterol levels

5) It is a good source of antioxidants.

6) It helps fight against the aging skin

7) It is good for healthy bones

Different Types of Dragon Fruits;

There are mainly three types of Dragon fruits:

1)Hylocereus undatus (Pitaya blanca or white-fleshed pitaya) has pink-skinned fruit with white flesh. This is the most commonly seen “dragon fruit”.
2)Hylocereus costaricensis (Pitaya roja or red-fleshed pitaya, also known as Hylocereus polyrhizus) has red-skinned fruit with red flesh.
3)Hylocereus megalanthus (Pitaya amarilla or yellow pitaya, also known as Selenicereus megalanthus) has yellow-skinned fruit with white flesh.

Climatic Requirements for Dragon Fruit Cultivation

Dragon fruit belongs to the cactus family, but unlike other desert-originated cacti, it requires an adequate amount of water because dragon fruits originate from tropical rainfed regions. This plant required 1150 mm to 2400 mm of yearly rainfall.

Dragon fruit cultivation is well suited to tropical dry conditions with an average temperature range between 25 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius. Planting accomplished under full sunlight conditions gives good results. An excessive rainfall area is not suitable for dragon fruit cultivation because the heavy rains result in fruit and flower drop.

Soil Requirement for Dragon Fruit Cultivation ;

Dragon fruit cultivation can be grown in a wide range of soil types with good drainage. The sandy loam soil rich in organic matter, with a good drainage facility, and having a pH range between 5.5 to 7 is more suitable for its cultivation.

Propagation of Dragon Fruit ;

Dragon fruits are commercially propagated through stem cutting. Although it may be propagated via seeds, the fruits produced through seed cultivation are not true to the type due to a large number of variations between the plants, hence, commercially, this method of multiplication is not used.

Mostly 25-30 cm long stem cutting is used for its multiplication. The following steps should be taken into consideration for the dragon fruit multiplication:

1) The cutting should be prepared one or 2 days before the planting.

2) The latex oozing out of the cutting must be dried

3) Cutting must be done from the elite mother plant after the completion of the fruiting season.

4) Cutting should be treated with a suitable fungicide.

5) Cutting should be planted in polythene bags of size 12 cm x 30 cm filled with a mixture of soil, sand, and farmyard manure in 1:1:1 ratio.

6) These cuttings will be ready for planting after 5-6 months.

Planting of Dragon Fruits ;

Dragon plant prefers sunlight; hence, shady land must be avoided for planting. Single-post system planting should be done at a distance of 3×3 meters. The single post vertical pole height should be 1.5 to 2 meters, at which point it is allowed to branch and hang downwards. The number of plants per pole is 2-4 depending upon the growing conditions. The average growth rate of dragon fruit vines is so quick, it grows approximately 8.2 cm per week. In about 8 months after planting, the dragon fruit forms a thick, dense mass of vines on top of the trellis, which lies dropping to the ground.
The training system in Dragon Fruits cultivation;

Dragon plants can climb naturally on any kind of support like poles, cemented posts, etc The immature plants should be tied with a vertical support, and only 2-3 lateral branches are allowed to grow. (All the lateral growth facing towards the ground must be removed.).

Nutrient management in Dragon fruit;

Dragon fruit’s plant root system is very shallow and can assimilate nutrients very fast. The recommended doses of fertilizers are:

Apply 10-15 kg of organic fertilizer per plant in the first year; later on, the applied quantity of organic may be increased by 10% per year. The requirement of the inorganic fertilizers can be fulfilled by applying a complete fertilizer (19:19:19) @ 100 gms/plant with an interval of three to four months.

Irrigation;

Dragon fruit plants can withstand low rainfall conditions and can face drought over a long period. But for good quality fruit, a regular water supply is essentially required. The dragon fruit plant has a shallow root system; hence, a local drip irrigation system is the best alternative for watering. Avoid excessive irrigation because it may cause several fungal infections that reduce the quality of the fruits.

Harvesting of the Dragon Fruits;

The fruits are ready to harvest after 12 to 15 months of planting, and an indication of fruit maturity is the changing of epicarp color from green to pinkish-red. The best time for the harvesting is after the 7 days of changing the color stage. Plants bear the fruits from Aug to Dec The harvesting can be done 3-4 times a month.

Yield

The average fruit weight ranges around 500-800 gm, and the average weight of the fruits from a single post is approximately 30-35 kg. On average, 5 -6 tons of fruits can be harvested from one acre.