Dragon Fruit
Holds the land all year
No figures for your district: its government crop records list no area or yield for this crop.
Only with irrigation: rain gives too little of its water to count on
- Needs care: Risky: 5 irrigations short
- Needs care: Very hot in April
- Needs care: Soil 7/10
Why, and how to make it work Hide details
Water
Rain falls about 5 irrigations (5 cm each) short in a normal year, so it's risky without water.
Needs about 660 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 440 mm it can use in a normal year, and 300 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 34 °C / 23 °C (outside its best range)
- Jul 30 °C / 22 °C
- Aug 30 °C / 21 °C
- Sep 30 °C / 21 °C
- Oct 31 °C / 20 °C
- Nov 31 °C / 17 °C
- Dec 30 °C / 15 °C
- Jan 31 °C / 15 °C
- Feb 34 °C / 17 °C
- Mar 37 °C / 21 °C (outside its best range)
- Apr 40 °C / 24 °C (outside its best range)
- May 41 °C / 25 °C (outside its best range)
- Jun 34 °C / 23 °C (outside its best range)
Months in orange are outside its best range.
Days in April get hotter than it likes. Young plants need shade and water then.
Soil
Soil for Dragon Fruit: 7 out of 10 (okay).
- The pH here suits it.
- Many fields here are short of zinc, which it needs a lot.
- Many fields here are short of boron, which it needs a lot.
- Most fields here are short of nitrogen.
Likes pH 5.3–6.7.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 32 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.
Rain gives it too little of the water it needs, so there's no income figure on rain alone: grow it only with irrigation.
No mandi or support price for this crop yet.
How to make it work
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Short of nitrogen Your soil is likely short of nitrogen.
Add about a quarter more urea than the usual dose, in two or three splits. A pulse crop in rotation also adds nitrogen.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.
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Short of phosphorus Your soil is likely short of phosphorus.
Add about a quarter more DAP or single super phosphate than the usual dose, at sowing.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.
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Short of organic carbon Your soil is likely short of organic carbon.
Add 4 tonnes of compost or farmyard manure per acre before sowing, and plough crop leftovers back in instead of burning them.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.
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Short of sulphur Your soil is likely short of sulphur.
Use single super phosphate instead of DAP, or add about 100 kg of gypsum per acre before sowing.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.
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Short of zinc Your soil is likely short of zinc.
Mix 10 kg of zinc sulphate per acre into the soil before sowing. One dose lasts two or three seasons.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.
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Short of iron Your soil is likely short of iron.
Spray ferrous sulphate, 5 g per litre of water, when young leaves turn yellow.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.