Dragon fruit cactus plants grouped into families. Although known as the fruit of Asia, this plant is originally from Mexico, Central America and South America. In 1870, the French brought 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 not clear 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. The types of popular fruits are:
- Hylocereus undatus red skin with white flesh
- Hylocereus polyrhisus red leather with red fruit flesh
- Hylocereus costaricensis red leather with dark red fruit flesh somewhat purplish
- Hylocereus megelanthus yellow skin with white flesh.
Dragon fruit cultivation is very suited 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.
Choosing a dragon fruit seedlings
Dragon fruit plants can be propagated by generative and vegetative. Generative ways that reproduce the plants from seed. Seeds were taken by removing the seeds from selected dragon fruit. This method is a bit difficult and is usually performed by an experienced breeder.
Vegetative means relatively more widely used because it is easier. Dragon fruit cultivation by vegetative means faster to produce fruit. In addition, the properties of the parent plant could certainly decreased in children. Here are the steps penyetekkan dragon frui
Penyetekkan conducted on plant stem or branch that never bear fruit, at least 3-4 times. This allows the cuttings to produce results more quickly and productivity has been discovered from the results of the previous pieces.
Select rod with a diameter of at least 8 cm, hard, dark, gray green and healthy. The larger the diameter of the rod will get better, because the rod will be the main stem of the plant.
Cutting is done to stem 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 candidates with a length of about 20-30 cm. Flat cut upper end, while the lower base which will plug into a tapered cut ground. Useful to stimulate root growth.
Pieces cuttings must have at least 4 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. When directly planted wet sap can cause stem rot. To avoid the risk of fungal attack stem cuttings can be dipped in fungicide solution.
Prepare beds for planting cuttings or poly-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 5 cm planting medium.
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 to be opened so that the seedlings get full sunlight.
Nursery usually lasts up to 3 months. At this age range 50-80 cm tall seedlings.
Preparation of dragon fruit cultivation
Needs dragon fruit seeds for cultivation of one hectare of about 6000-1000 seedlings. The number of seeds needed depends on the method of planting and spacing. This time alamtani discuss dragon fruit cultivation method with single-pole climbing. With this system takes pole climbing as many as 1600 stems with the needs of as many as 6400 seed crop seeds per hectare.
a. Making pole climbing
In the pole climbing dragon fruit cultivation is necessary to sustain the growth of plants. Pole climbing is usually made of concrete permanent. Bisap pillar shape rectangular or cylindrical pillars with a diameter of about 10-15 cm.
High mast climbing for dragon fruit cultivation usually 2-2.5 meters. The pole is planted as deep as 50 cm so strong stand. At the end of the upper part of the support given in the form of wood or iron rods form a '+'. Then add iron circular or can be used bike tires. So that the upper end is shaped like a steering wheel.
Make the climbing pole in rows, spacing poles in a row to 2.5 meters while the 3-meter line spacing. This distance also became a spacing. In between the rows for 25 cm deep drainage channel.
b. Tillage
After climbing pole prepared, make the planting hole with a size of 60 × 60 cm with a depth of 25 cm. Climbing pole position precisely located in the middle of the planting hole.
Mix 10 kg of sand with excavated soil to increase soil porosity. Add compost or manure that has matured as much as 10-20 kg. Add also dolomite or agricultural lime 300 grams, because it requires a lot of calcium dragon fruit. Stir ingredients until evenly.
Piled back in the planting hole with a mixture of the above media. Then flush with water until moist but do not get flooded. Let the planting hole that has been backfilled exposed to sunlight and dry.
After 2-3 days, give as much as 25 grams of TSP fertilizer. Fertilizer application wrapped around the pole climbing at a distance of about 10 cm from the pole. Let stand for about 1 day. Now the planting hole prepared for planting.
Planting seedlings dragon fruit
For one pole climbing takes 4 dragon fruit plant propagating material. Seedlings were planted around the pole climbing, climbing pole distance between the seed crop of about 10 cm. Seedlings are transferred from the plot seeding or polybag. Dig the soil depth of 10-15 cm, or adapted to the size of the seed. Then the seed is placed in the excavation and backfilled with compacted soil while.
After the 4th seed is planted, tie rod plant seeds are so attached to the pole climbing. Perform the binding of each plant grows 20-30 cm long panhandle. Binding not too tight to give space for the growth of plants and so as not to injure the stem.
Fertilization and care
a. Fertilization
In the early growth period required fertilizer should contain a lot of nitrogen (N). In the phase of flowering or fruiting use a fertilizer that contains phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). The use of urea is not recommended to cultivate dragon fruit, as they often lead to stem rot.
Fertilizing with compost or manure done every 3 months with a dose of 5-10 kg per planting hole. At the time of flowering and fruiting provide additional fertilizer NPK and ZK respectively 50 and 20 grams per planting hole. In the following year multiply dose of fertilizer application in accordance with the size of the plant. Additional fertilizer in the form of liquid organic fertilizer, bio fertilizers or fruit stimulating hormone can be given to maximize results.
b. Sprinkling
Watering can be done by flowing water in drainage ditches. It also can use hype or drip irrigation. Drip irrigation system more efficient water and labor but need considerable investment.
Watering with a drainage ditch is done by soaking the trench for approximately 2 hours. When watering is done with yells, each planting hole doused with water by 4-5 liters. Frequency of watering three times a day in the dry season, or according to soil conditions.
Watering can be reduced or discontinued when the plant starts flowering and fruiting. Reduction or cessation of watering aims to suppress the growth of new shoots that can be a maximum of fruit growth. Watering is still being done when the soil looks dry and the plants withered because of lack of water.
c. Pruning
There are at least three types of cuts in the cultivation of dragon fruit, which is to form the main stem pruning, trimming forming a branch of production and rejuvenation pruning.
Pruning to form the main stem is done on the stem of plant seeds. Good plant has a long main stem, large and sturdy. To get the select shoots that grow on the top of the stem beginning. Growing shoots should be cut just below it.
Pruning to form a branch of the production is done on shoots that grow on the main stem. Choose 3-4 buds to be grown. Later it will be a stem bud production and grow hanging down. Branch of the best that is in the top, about 30 cm from the top end.
Rejuvenation pruning is done to the branch of production which are less productive. Usually have fruit 3-4 times. The results of this rejuvenation clipping can be a source of plant seeds.
Things to consider in pruning is the form of the plant. Usually dragon fruit plants grow irregularly. Strive for the selected shoots can form a good crop. So it is not too dense branches and stems that exist under the canopy can be exposed to sunlight at a maximum.
Harvesting
Dragon fruit plant 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 plants are smaller seed size, first harvest may reach 1.5-2 years commencing after planting. Productivity in the first harvest is usually not optimal directly.
One plant typically produces 1 kg of fruit. In one pole climbing, there are 4 plants. Means the number of Tonggal 1600 in one acre will produce about 6-7 tons of dragon fruit once the harvest season. Dragon fruit cultivation that can successfully produce more than 50 tons of fruit per hectare per year.
The characteristics of mature fruit is red skin had begun shiny. Tufts of reddish fruit, green color has begun to diminish. Crown and base of the smaller pieces of fruit buds or wrinkles. Rounded fruit size weighing about 400-600 grams.
