Dragon Fruit

Water

Rain falls about 4 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 430 mm it can use in a normal year, and 330 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 39 °C / 26 °C (outside its best range)
• Jul 35 °C / 26 °C (outside its best range)
• Aug 34 °C / 26 °C (outside its best range)
• Sep 33 °C / 24 °C (outside its best range)
• Oct 32 °C / 18 °C
• Nov 27 °C / 11 °C
• Dec 21 °C / 7 °C (outside its best range)
• Jan 18 °C / 5 °C (outside its best range)
• Feb 22 °C / 9 °C (outside its best range)
• Mar 27 °C / 13 °C
• Apr 34 °C / 18 °C
• May 39 °C / 24 °C (outside its best range)
• Jun 39 °C / 26 °C (outside its best range)

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

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

Soil

Soil for Dragon Fruit: 7 out of 10 (okay).

Not in the score: nitrogen.

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

Likes pH 5.3–6.7.

Money

Yield: about 23 quintals an acre, the typical figure across India (no figures for your state).

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 73% of the water it needs, so the money here is worked at 73% of this yield.

No mandi or support price for this crop yet.