A fruit for the future: dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus) (Haw.) Britton and Rose: field manual for extension workers

Dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus (Haw.) Britton and Rose) is a climbing vine cactus species which has received worldwide recognition, first, as an ornamental plant and then as, a fruit crop (Plate 4.1). Its fruit is the most beautiful in the family Cactaceae with a bright red skin studded with green scales and white or red flesh with tiny black seeds. The flower is so beautiful that it is nicknamed as “Noble Woman” or “Queen of the Night”. The juicy flesh of the fruit is delicious in taste. It is well established as a new crop in Australia, China, Israel, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Taiwan and Vietnam. In Vietnam, it has become a major export, which fetches a higher price than even Durian, the “King of Fruits” ¡n southeast Asia. The main constraint is that the establishment cost is high due to the use of trellises for climbing. However, the cost of establishment will depend on the type of trellises used, and experience shows that a relatively cheap trellising is sufficient. The other agronomic practices are easy and less expensive; maintenance cost is low and aftercare is minimal due to fewer pest and disease attacks. The biggest advantage of this crop is that once planted, it will grow for about 20 years, and one hectare could accommodate about 800 Dragon fruit plants. More importantly, it is a fast return perennial fruit crop with production in the second year after planting and full production within five years. The crop could be grown organically using locally available organic manures and composts, as the demand for nitrogen is comparatively less compared to most other fruit crops. Thus, although underutilized, Dragon fruit is considered a fruit crop for the future (Gunasena and pushpakumara, 2006; Gunasena e al., 2006)..