Dragon Fruit

Water

Rain falls about 3 irrigations (5 cm each) short in a normal year, so it's risky without water.

Needs about 590 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 480 mm it can use in a normal year, and 370 mm in a dry year.

Temperature

Grows best at 18–28 °C on average, and survives 12–34 °C.

Here, in its growing months (day / night):

• Jun 38 °C / 27 °C (outside its best range)
• Jul 34 °C / 26 °C (outside its best range)
• Aug 33 °C / 26 °C (outside its best range)
• Sep 33 °C / 24 °C (outside its best range)
• Oct 32 °C / 18 °C
• Nov 27 °C / 12 °C
• Dec 22 °C / 8 °C (outside its best range)
• Jan 20 °C / 7 °C (outside its best range)
• Feb 24 °C / 10 °C (outside its best range)
• Mar 30 °C / 15 °C
• Apr 36 °C / 20 °C (outside its best range)
• May 40 °C / 25 °C (outside its best range)
• Jun 38 °C / 27 °C (outside its best range)

Months in orange are outside its best range.

Nights in January can bring frost. When frost is forecast, water the field lightly in the evening.

Days in May get hotter than it likes. Young plants need shade and water then.

Soil

Soil for Dragon Fruit: 8 out of 10 (good).

• The pH here suits it.
• Many fields here are short of potassium, which it needs a lot.
• Many fields here are short of zinc, which it needs a lot.
• Many fields here are short of boron, which it needs a lot.

Likes pH 5.3–6.7.

Money

Yield: about 16 quintals an acre, the typical figure in your state (its government crop records list none for your district).

A new planting gives its first real harvest after about 2 years. The money here is for plants already bearing.

On rain alone it gets about 81% of the water it needs, so the money here is worked at 81% of this yield.

No mandi or support price for this crop yet.