Importance and advanced production practices for high value dragon fruit (Hylocereus spp.) crop: A review

Abstract

Dragon fruit (Hylocereus spp.) crop is an important tropical plant belongs to family cactaceae, it is rich in essential nutrients viz. vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, dietary fibres and antioxidants compounds. This fruit is popular due to its rich nutritional characteristics. Dragon fruit or pitaya is an unbelievable fruit that provides strong nutraceutical benefits due to its prebiotic function and multiple pharmaceutical and medicinal properties such as anti-oxidant, anti-cancerous, anti-diabetic, anti-microbial and hepato protective characteristics. The fruit also has capacity of wound healing, anti-anemic, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and microvascular protective properties. These pharmaceutical and medicinal properties are due to different phyto-constituents such as polyphenols, pigments, flavonoids, fatty acids, terpenoids, steroids, vitamins, sugars, minerals and dietary fibres which are found in the fruits’ peel, seeds and flesh. It boosts up immunity system of our body. This review describes adoptability, cultivation practices, nutritional values and importance of Dragon fruit. Dragon fruit crop has characteristics of good adaptability due to its cactus nature and grown well in medium heavy soils. Dragon plants are commercially propagated by stem cuttings. Flowering buds are emerged out in plants after 15-18 months of planting and it come in full blooming stage after 28-30 days of the bud emergence. The productivity and quality of Dragon fruit vary depending on the species, cultural practices of cultivation, place and harvesting time. It is a short duration, fast growing, high return perennial crop suited for income generation to small and marginal farmers. Investigation on different techniques of package of practices and importance of this fruit may reveal the scope of the crop for farmers and end user to extend cultivation area and demand of the fruit.