Dragon fruit cultivation in new areas: challenges, management strategies, and insights from India

Dragon fruit is a highly nutritious fruit known for its ability to thrive in diverse soil and climate conditions worldwide, including India. While possessing considerable cultivation potential, dragon fruit yields in India, typically ranging from 15 to 25 tonnes per hectare, are demonstrably lower than those achieved in Vietnam (22–24 t/ha) and Indonesia (22–30 t/ha). Its cultivation faces numerous obstacles related to abiotic and biotic stresses, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. These challenges encompass water and temperature stress, self-incompatibility and insufficient pollination, suboptimal canopy management, and the emerging threats posed by new diseases and pests. These factors collectively lead to reduced yield and diminished fruit quality. Furthermore, the scarcity of region-specific cultivation methods and limited research hinder the understanding and management of these issues. Such as, the optimization of irrigation and fertilization schedules in dragon fruit cultivation necessitates soil-specific standardization, given the inherent variability in water retention and nutrient availability between heavy and light soil types. To address these challenges, it is crucial to implement sustainable and cost-effective best management practices to boost productivity and quality. These practices involve various aspects such as efficient soil and nursery management, shade and canopy regulation, manual pollination techniques, and key strategies to mitigate biotic and abiotic stresses. Proper implementation of these methods has the potential to significantly increase dragon fruit production, enhance its nutritional content, and ultimately improve farmers' income. This review aims to explore the opportunities presented by dragon fruit cultivation, examine the challenges faced, analyse their root causes, and investigate existing knowledge to propose viable solutions. The insights gained from this review will be valuable for researchers, growers, and policymakers, highlighting the importance of adopting sound cultivation practices to enhance dragon fruit productivity and sustainability.