DRAGON FOOD

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1. Dragon fruit may look exotic, but its flavors are similar to other fruits. Its taste has been described as a slightly sweet cross between a kiwi and a pear. Dragon fruit is a tropical fruit native to Mexico and Central America. Its taste is like a combination of a kiwi and a pear.

2. What Is Dragon Fruit? Dragon fruit grows on the Hylocereus cactus, (The plant’s name comes from the Greek word “hyle,” which means “woody,” and the Latin word “cereus,” which means “waxen.” ) also known as the Honolulu queen, whose flowers only open at night Today, it is grown all over the world. It goes by many names, including pitaya, pitahaya, and strawberry pear. The two most common types have bright red skin with green scales that resemble a dragon — hence the name. The most widely available variety has white pulp with black seeds, though a less common type with red pulp and black seeds exists as well. Another variety — referred to as yellow dragon fruit — has yellow skin and white pulp with black seeds.
3. On the outside, the fruit has the appearance of a hot pink or yellow bulb with spike-like green leaves shooting up like flames around it. Cut it open, and you’ll find fleshy white stuff inside dotted with black seeds that are OK to eat. This fruit comes in red- and yellow-skinned varieties. The cactus originally grew in southern Mexico and South and Central America. The French brought it to Southeast Asia in the early 19th century. Central Americans call it “pitaya.” In Asia, it’s a “strawberry pear.” Today, you can buy dragon fruit throughout the U.S.Dragon fruit is juicy with a slightly sweet taste that some describe as a cross between a kiwi, a pear, and a watermelon. The seeds have a nutty flavor.

4. A recent estimate by Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Institute of Abiotic Stress Management, Baramati in Maharashtra found that dragon fruits are cultivated on 3,000-4,000 hectares in various states of India. The country produces approximately 12,000 tones of the fruit every year.

5. Climate for Dragon Fruit : One of the major merits of these crops is that it can grow in the extremes of temperature and the poorest of soils but is best suited for the tropical climate with an annual rainfall of 40-60 cm best suited for growth. Temperature ranging from 20°C- 30°C is considered best for the crop to grow.

6. Soil Requirement for Dragon Fruit :Dragon Fruit can be grown on almost any soils however Sandy soils that have good irrigation are generally preferred. The ph of

the soil should be between 5.5 to 6.5 for a good crop. Beds should be at least 40-50 cm high.

7. Planting :There are two methods of growing dragon fruit, the first is the use of seeds and the second is using a cutting from the plant sampling. Seeds take a time of three years before the plant is large enough to be used so farmers generally opt for the cutting method. The length of the sapling should be 20 cm and it should be cut from the mother plant and left in the shade for 5-7 days before being planted in the field While being planted the distance between the dragon fruit plants depends on whether the support used is vertical or horizontal. In vertical support, the distance between the plants should be 2-3 meter while in horizontal support the distance is reduced to almost 50 cm and allows for intensive farming. The vertical support should be between 1 to 1.20 meter high while the horizontal support should be between 1.40 to 1.60 meter for appropriate growth.

Pest Treatment for Dragon Fruit

8. The land should be treated with fertilizers in mounds. The fertilizers used should be 20-kilogram organic fertilizers 0.5 kilograms superphosphate and 1kg of NPK16-6-8 should be used per 50 postings before the actual plantings of dragon fruit plants. During the plantation stage, 50 grams of Urea combined with 50 grams of phosphate should be used three times a year during the first year.

Harvesting of Dragon Fruit

9. The fruit requires 27-30 days to fully grow. The fruit should be picked as soon it is fully grown as even a delay of 4-5 days can cause it to rot. The expected yield per hectare can vary from 10 to 30 hectares depending on the conditions and techniques used. The techniques of picking it are twisting it in a clockwise direction and plucking it.

10. Varieties of Dragon Fruit :There are several varieties of Dragon Fruit that are grown and the famous varieties are:-

(a) Hylocereus Undated: Also known as Pitahaya, the variety has a white flesh with pink skin. The fruit is 6-12 cm in length and 4-9 cm in thickness with edible black seeds.

(b) Hylocereus Polyrhizus: Also knows as Red Pitaya, it is recognised by its red flesh with its pink skin. It is native to Mexico but is now grown in many countries.

(c) Hylocereus Costaricencis: The variety is known for its violet red flesh and pink skin. It is also known as Costa Rican Pitaya as it is native to Costa Rica. The fruit is magenta and the seeds are pear-shaped.

(d) Hylocereus (Silencers) Megalanthus: This variety is native to South America and is characterized by its white flesh with yellow skin.