Indian has agriculture supported
economy having over increasing population, but heading towards food self
sufficiency. One of the ways to boost up farming economy is adaption of high
value low input requirement crop having diversified adaptability with various
agro-climatic areas of India. The dragon fruit (Hylocereus sp.) is gaining its
popularity for immense scope to grow as a commercial high profitable crop due
to its rich nutraceutical properties and good for processing industry also. In
the context of food diversity farmers are looking for new crops which are
remunerative or having good nutraceutical properties and ensure return in short
period. Among the new fruit crops, dragon fruit has potential for use to
prevent nutrition-related disorders and improve physical and mental well-being
of the consumers. Thus, its use is included in herbal medicine in many
countries like China. In India, some initiatives have been taken to demonstrate
its cultivation in few parts of the country. But, India imports (95 % of its
demand) mostly from Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka etc. and fetch high
prices in market.
Therefore, it also now is being taught
in regular courses in many agricultural institutes. But, there is a gap between
the knowledge, availability of literatures and skill for its successful
cultivation, production of model nursery etc.
Keeping this view, an attempt has been
made to make a complete information guide as book with special references to
its Area and production, Nutritional composition and important uses, Origin and
distribution, Taxonomy and botanical description, Types and varieties, Soil,
Climate, Propagation, Nursery, Transplanting, Trellising, Pruning, Manures and
fertilizer application, Irrigation, Intercultural operation, Floral biology,
Flowering and Fruiting, Off season production, Harvesting and yield, Post
harvest management, Crop improvement, Pest and diseases, Economy of production
and Global market importance etc. I hope, it will help the growers, students
and researchers as well.
I am indebted to the working groups in
this field across the globe for their contribution. I duly acknowledged the
literatures, web materials, books, journals etc which are consulted. I also
express my deep gratitude to Book Publisher International, for completing this
job carefully. I am very grateful to my parents, teachers and colleagues for
their encouragement. I am also thankful to my family members for support. I
express my heart full thanks to my friends and my dear students who helped me
for the entire process. I take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to
my all teachers who prepared me at every level of my education.
Readers are requested for valuable suggestions for the improvement of this publication for its wide acceptability.
Readers are requested for valuable suggestions for the improvement of this publication for its wide acceptability.
Author(s) Details
Sutanu
Maji
Department
of Applied Plant Science, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, Uttar
Pradesh -226025, India
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Volume: https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/mono/978-93-89562-60-6
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