Dragon fruit farming has in the recent times taken root in Kenya, many farmers are scrambling to purchase dragon fruit seedlings on many plant raisers. We have been seeing farmers praising their dragon fruit farms with awe! Dragon fruit is an expensive fruit found on many of our supermarkets with a KG ranging an average of 1500Kshs. Most of plant raisers are selling a cutting between 500-2000Kshs depending on many factors like size.
However, non of the plant raisers nor the “success full farmers” that are being featured in newspapers, television and blogs in Kenya is talking about the major threats in the industry, this might be attributed to ignorance or luck of knowledge.
Agriculture has increased the production of staple crops, through plant breeding and biotechnology, in arable areas that are now becoming limited due to industrialization. With staple crops becoming a common diet and with people getting the same nutrients from these foods, wild, exotic and underutilized edible plants are being explored as supplements or alternatives.
One potential plant is dragon fruit or pitahaya. This vine cactus plant is water-efficient, rich in betalains and antioxidants, has medicinal benefits and is a source of income to growers. However, dragon fruit production faces significant challenges. Among these, losses due to diseases play a significant role in fruit-yield reduction and profitability.
This article provides a comprehensive review of dragon fruit diseases, their associated pathogens, distribution, and their current management options. We conclude that anthracnose, fruit and stem rot, stem canker and the cactus viral disease are among the most frequently reported diseases of dragon fruit and actions are needed to address the growing problems associated with these diseases as effective, sustainable and practical management strategies are yet to be identified.
Cause for Concern?
- There is always a cause for concern because everything can become diseased.
- While certain dragon fruit varieties are grown for the quality of their fruit, they will also select for diseases as more acreage is grown.
- We have not experienced any dragon fruit cultivar in Kenya grown during cold months.
Pest and Diseases of Dragon Fruit Farming In Kenya
Dragon fruit growers in Kenya are faced with several production issues contributing to yield reduction. Among the issues faced is the short storage life of the fruit and the non-stable fruit supply as flowering and harvesting occurs.
Dragon Fruit in general are tolerant to disease of major concerned. However there are pest which are associated with the crop because of unfavorable climate and management of the crop.
Among pest associated are anthracnose, brown spots, stem and fruit rots. Insects like beetles, ants , scales, snails and birds.
Stem rot
It is a major problems in dragon fruit cultivation.
- Infection starts from injured areas especially the stem tissues scarred by insects or infection by anthracnose
- Yellowing of tissues followed by softening and smelly rotting of tissues. Advanced attack showed total rotting of fleshy succulent parts of stem leaving the main veins intact.
All infectious diseases can-and-will be transmitted from plant to plant by pruning/trimming tools. There is also a strong possibility that these diseases can also be spread by direct contact of roots and stems that touch each other. Some insects (such as Leptoglossus sp mentioned above), can also spread infectious disease from plant to plant.
For some difficult diseases, many have advocated destroying infected plants and starting over in a different location. Your best bet is prevention; inspect plants before you buy and keep your tools clean.
Colletotrichum gloesporiodes (aka Anthracnose)
One of the common disease of dragon fruits.
Colletotrichum gloesporiodes (aka Anthracnose) is the name of another fungi that can infect dragon fruit cacti. The lesions from this fungal infection look like concentric haloes on stems and fruit
- Causal agent Colletotrichum gloesperoides
- Red brown concentric lesions with ascervuli developed near ribs of vine, in particular where the spines emerged from the rib edge.
- Disease also attack fruits.
- Disease becomes prominent during wet seasons
Sunburn
Sunburn can have an appearance similar to some of the other diseases listed herein. Sunburn can be a problem when a plant is moved quickly from a shady area to a full sun location. Growing in areas of more intense sunlight can also lead to sunburn injury.
This injury may present as areas of yellowing, corking, scabbing and pealing. You can expect this injury to be seen on the most sun exposed sides of the plant (South/top of the plant). On that note, sunburn can also sometimes look very similar to Botryospaheria dothidea infection. However, the distribution of the stem lesions should be different. Specifically, if something looks questionable but is on the under-surface of a plant, then it is not sunburn. In this situation, you should consider one of the infectious diseases listed above as the cause.
Disease Management On Dragon Fruit
Farmers Trend has been carrying out a research on the disease management of dragon fruit farming in Kenya, using an integrated approach. The current recommended disease management comprises the following:
- Avoid planting in areas with high rainfall or high water table.
- Start with disease-free planting material. The source of disease-free seedlings is very important.
- Do not use compound fertilizers with high nitrogen content, as excessive nitrogen increases disease susceptibility. Use straight or organic fertilizers.
- Do not maintain too many pseudostems. This is to reduce the humidity within the plant canopy. A high humidity encourages disease incidence.
- Keep the grass short to reduce the soil moisture.
- Excise/prune off the severely fungal infected or bacterial infected plant parts and clean knife/ pruning shears after each pruning. Remove the debris promptly. Prune during the dry weather, to ensure that the wounds dry properly to reduce infection. Younger pseudostems are more susceptible to disease infection.
- Practice good farm hygiene. Remove all plant debris from the planting site.
- Remove the remains of the dried flowers after fruit set as they harbour the disease organisms.
- Currently, there are no pesticides registered in Kenya for use on dragon fruit plants, and so no pesticides can be used.
- Practise ant and snail control, as they can help to spread the fungal spores and bacteria, by destroying the nest, physical removal or using snail bait.
- Harvest the fruits using clean pruning shears during the dry weather to ensure that the harvest wounds dry up properly to reduce infection.
- Provide partial shade with Gliricidia living support -if possible- to reduce the disease incidence. Proper management of the shade is important to ensure sufficient light for the plant.
- If affordable, use electric lighting in the late evening to induce flowering and fruiting on older stems. Older stems are less susceptible to disease infection.
- To reduce post-harvest problems caused by the soil-borne fungus, Gilbertella persicaria, ensure that the harvested fruits are not in contact with soil during harvesting. Harvesting baskets, pruning shears and hands should also be kept soilfree.
==
anthracnose in dragon fruit,
dragon fruit stem rot treatment,
dragon fruit fungus treatment,
dragon fruit pests and diseases,
dragon fruit fungal disease,
stem canker of dragon fruit,
dragon fruit rust,
botryosphaeria dothidea dragon fruit treatment,
How much is a kg of dragon fruit in Kenya?,
Where can I get dragon fruit in Kenya?,
What is the cost of one piece of dragon fruit?,
How many dragon fruit per acre in Kenya?,
where to get dragon fruit seedlings in kenya,
dragon fruit price near nairobi,
dragon fruit farmers network kenya,
dragon fruit seedling price,
dragon fruit price per kg,
dragon fruit farming in meru,
dragon fruit seedlings for sale,
where to buy dragon fruit in kenya,