Dragon Fruit

Dragon Fruit Cultivation

Agriculture Technology

Dragon fruit is grouped into the cactus plant family. Although known as the fruit of Asia, this plant is originally from Mexico, Central America and South America. In 1870, the French brought the dragon fruit from Guyana to Vietnam as an ornamental plant. Because it tastes sweet, dragon fruit is eaten widely in Vietnam and China. In Indonesia, dragon fruit became popular since 2000. It is unclear exactly who first developed it. It is estimated that dragon fruit coming into our country from Thailand and cultivated by hobbyists plants sporadically.

Currently there are several species of dragon fruit plants are widely cultivated. Popular fruit types are as follows:

Hylocereus undatus red skin with white flesh

Hylocereus polyrhisus red leather with red fruit flesh

Hylocereus costaricensis red skin with intense red fruit flesh somewhat purplish

Hylocereus megelanthus yellow skin with white flesh.

Cultivation of dragon fruit is very suitable to the climatic conditions and the nature of Indonesia. This plant grows optimally at an altitude of 0-350 meters above sea level with a rainfall of about 720 mm per year. The air temperature is ideal for growing dragon fruit ranges from 26-36 degrees Celsius.

Dragon fruit plants can be propagated by generative and vegetative. Generative way that plants reproduce from seeds. Seed is taken by removing the seeds from the fruit dragon elected. This way a bit difficult and is usually done by experienced breeders. Vegetative means relatively more widely used because it is easier. Dragon fruit cultivation by vegetative means more quickly bear fruit. In addition, the properties of the parent plant may simply decline to her son. Here are the steps penyetekkan dragon fruit:

Choose a rod with a diameter of at least 8 cm, hard, old, gray-green and healthy. The larger the diameter of the trunk, the better, because the rod will be the main stem of the plant. Cutting is done to stem the length is about 80-120 cm. Do not cut all, leaving about 20%, part of which 80% will be candidates for seed. Cut the stems of seedlings candidate with a length of about 20-30 cm. The upper end is cut flat, while the bottom of the base to be plugged into a tapered cut ground. Useful to stimulate root growth. Cuttings pieces must have at least four buds. Cutting length can be shorter, but the consequences will affect the speed of fruiting.

Let stem cuttings that have been cut until the sap dries. If planted directly sap is still wet can cause stem rot. To avoid the risk of fungal attack stem cuttings can be dipped in a solution of fungicide. Prepare seedbed or poly-cuttings to plant the cuttings. To a mixture of soil or planting media, please see how to create a media hotbed. Flush beds or polybags filled with planting medium. Then plug the pointed part of the cuttings into the planting medium as deep as 5 cm. Provide shade or shield to protect the cuttings. Do watering as much as 2-3 days. After 3 weeks, the first buds begin to grow and shade or lid must be opened so that the seedlings get full sunlight. Maintenance seeds usually lasts up to 3 months. At this age range 50-80 cm tall seedlings.

The need for the cultivation of dragon fruit seedlings a hectare around 6000-1000 seedlings. The number of seeds needed depends on the method of planting and spacing. This time alamtani discuss methods of dragon fruit cultivation with a single pole climbing. With this system takes pole climbing as much as 1600 stems with the needs of plant seeds as much as 6400 seedlings per hectare.

For one pole climbing takes 4 dragon fruit plant propagating material. Seedlings planted around the pole climbing, the distance between the pole climbing to plant seeds of about 10 cm. Seedlings are transferred from the plot seeding or polybag. Dig the soil as deep as 10-15 cm, or tailored to the size of the seed. Then the seed is placed in the excavation and backfilled with compacted soil while.

After the 4th seed planted, tie rod plant seeds so that attaches to mast climbing. Perform the binding of each plant grows 20-30 cm along the panhandle. The binding should not be too fast to give space for the growth of plants and in order not to injure the stem.

Pruning to form the main stem of plant seeds carried on the stems. Good plant has a long main stem, large and sturdy. To get that select shoots that grow at the very top of the stem beginning. Shoots that grow underneath should be cut only. Pruning to form a branch of production conducted on shoots that grow on the main stem. Choose 3-4 shoots to be grown. Later it will be a stem bud production and grow hanging down. Shoots are grown preferably at the top, about 30 cm from the top end.

Rejuvenation pruning is done to the branch of production which are less productive. Fruiting usually 3-4 times. Trimmings results of this rejuvenation can be used as a source of plant seeds. Things to consider in pruning is the shape of the plant. Dragon fruit plants usually grow irregularly. Strive for shoots that have been able to shape the plant properly. So it is not too dense branches and trunks that exist under the canopy can be exposed to sunlight at a maximum.

Dragon fruit plants longevity. Productive cycle can reach 15-20 years. Dragon fruit cultivation began to bear fruit for the first time in months 10 to 12 counted after planting. However, if the smaller size of the seed plants, the first harvest could reach 1.5-2 years commencing after planting. Productivity in the first harvest usually indirectly optimal. One plant typically produces 1 kg of fruit. In one pole climbing there are 4 plants. Means the number Tonggal 1600 in one hectare will produce about 6-7 tons of dragon fruit once the harvest season. The cultivation of dragon fruit that can successfully produce more than 50 tons of fruit per hectare per year. The characteristics of the fruit is ready for harvest has begun red skin shiny. Tufts of reddish fruit, the color green has begun to diminish. Crown smaller fruit and fruit base closes or wrinkled. Rounded fruit size weighing about 400-600 grams.