Loading...

Crop Research

Vegetative and reproductive phenology of dragon fruit in West Garo Hills of Meghalaya

 

DOI: 10.31830/2454-1761.2026.CR-1079    | Article Id: CR-1079 | Page : 135-145
Citation :- Vegetative and reproductive phenology of dragon fruit in West Garo Hills of Meghalaya. Crop Res. 61: 135-145
WAIKHOM ARUNKUMAR MEETEI AND LOLLY S. PEREIRA drlollysp@gmail.com
Address : Department of Rural Development and Agricultural Production, North-Eastern Hill University, Tura Campus, Meghalaya - 794002, India
Submitted Date : 9-10-2025
Accepted Date : 6-01-2026
Online Published:

Abstract

Dragon fruit, belonging to family Cactaceae, is a highly resilient fruit crop with high nutritional profile and commercial prospects. Although West Garo Hills offers favourable conditions for growing dragon fruit, there is a dearth of phenological information in the region. Therefore, the vegetative and reproductive phenology of two species of dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus and Hylocereus undatus) were studied in the West Garo Hills of Meghalaya from 2023 to 2025 using the extended BBCH (Biologische Bundesantalt, Bundessortenamt and Chemische Industrie).  Major vegetative flush occurred from November to May after the completion of fruiting. The total time required for completion of vegetative flush starting from vegetative bud swelling (011) to completion of side shoot development (419) was 77.68±13.85 days in H. polyrhizus and 88.19±12.31 days in H. undatus. Reproductive phase was observed in six to seven flushes in H. polyrhizus (early May to early December), compared to five flushes in H. undatus (late May to early December). H. polyrhizus completed reproductive bud development (510-519) in 18.10±1.70 days, flowering (610-619) in 2.02±0.18 days, fruit development (711-719) in 19.46±1.80 days and fruit maturation (811-817) in 4.75±0.61 days, totalling to 49.89±2.61 days for a complete reproductive cycle (510-817). Whereas H. undatus required 16.50±1.02 days for reproductive bud development (510-519), 2.01±0.10 days for flowering (610-619), 20.70±2.16 days for fruit development (711-719) and 4.59±0.89 days for fruit maturation (811-817), accounting to a total of 50.32±2.63 days cycle (510-817). H. polyrhizus produced greater number of reproductive flushes with longer fruiting period and took lesser time for completion of vegetative and reproductive flush. Phenological studies of dragon fruit will be useful in various crop management practices and post-harvest planning. The findings have significant implications for future research, popularization and commercialization.

Keywords

BBCH scale dragon fruit phenology reproductive phase vegetative flush

References

Ador, K., Gobilik, J. and Benedick, S. (2024). Flowering phenology and evaluation of pollination techniques to achieve acceptable fruit quality of red-fleshed pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus) in Sabah, East Malaysia. Pertanika J. Trop. Agric. Sci. 47: 955-67.
Ariffin, A. A., Bakar, J., Tan, C. P., Rahman, R. A., Karim, R. and Loi, C. C. (2009). Essential fatty acids of pitaya (dragon fruit) seed oil. Food Chem. 114: 561-64.
Arivalagan, M., Karunakaran, G., Roy, T. K., Dinsha, M., Sindhu, B. C., Shilpashree, V. M., Satisha, G. C. and Shivashankara, K. S. (2021). Biochemical and nutritional characterization of dragon fruit (Hylocereus species). Food Chem. 353: 1-11.
Centurión, Y. A. R., Solís-Pereira, S., Saucedo-Veloz, C., Báez-Sañudo, R. and Sauri-Duch, E. (2008). Cambios físicos, químicos y sensoriales en frutos de pitahaya (Hylocereus undatus) durante su desarrollo. Rev. Fitotec. Mex. 31: 1-5.
Chu, Y. C. and Chang, J. C. (2022). Codification and description of the phenological growth stages of red-fleshed pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus) using the extended BBCH scale. Sci. Hortic. 293: 110752. doi:10.1016/j.scienta.2021.110752
Devi, K. P., Alam, M., Hasan, M. A., Dey, S., Rathod, K. H., Karmakar, B., Nasim, A. and Mondal, T. (2023). Studies on the floral behavior of dragon fruit (Hylocereus costaricensis) and their qualitative characters. Environ. Ecol. 41: 174-79.
Dimero, F. N. and Tepora, T. F. (2018). Processing and development of dragon fruit wine. Int. J. Environ. Agric. Biotechnol. 3: 1943-47.
Gallinat, A. S., Ellwood, E. R., Heberling, J. M., Miller‐Rushing, A. J., Pearse, W. D. and Primack, R. B. (2021). Macrophenology: insights into broad‐scale patterns, drivers, and consequences of phenology. Am. J. Bot. 108: 2112-26.
Gunasena, H. P. M., Pushpakumara, D. K. N. G. and Kariyawasam, M. (2007). Dragon fruit Hylocereus undatus (Haw.) Britton and Rose. In: Underutilized fruit trees in Sri Lanka. Vol. 1. World Agroforestry Centre, New Delhi, pp: 110–41.
Ha, T. D., Oanh, L. T. K. and Yen, C. (2018). Flowering phenology and mating system of a red skin pitaya (Hylocereus spp.) germplasm collection in Taiwan. Asian J. Adv. Agric. Res. 7: 1-8.
Joshi, M. and Prabhakar, B. (2020). Phytoconstituents and pharmaco‐therapeutic benefits of pitaya: A wonder fruit. J. Food Biochem. 44: doi:10.1111/jfbc.13260.
Kavino, M. and Arunkumar, G. (2024). Phenological stages of pink pulp dragon fruit (Hylocereus costaricensis Web.): Codification and description according to the extended BBCH scale. Appl. Fruit Sci. 66: 2019-34.
Kishore, K. (2016). Phenological growth stages of dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus) according to the extended BBCH-scale. Sci. Hortic. 213: 294-302.
Luu, T. T. H., Le, T. L., Huynh, N. and Alonso, P. Q. (2021). Dragon fruit: A review of health benefits and nutrients and its sustainable development under climate changes in Vietnam. Czech J. Food Sci. 39: 71-94.
Mawkhiew, A. and Pereira, L. S. (2023). Flowering and fruiting phenology of selected mango (Mangifera indica L.) varieties in West Garo Hills of Meghalaya. Crop Res. 58: 221-27.
Muas, I. and Jumjunidang. (2015). Status of dragon fruit cultivation and marketing in Indonesia. In: Jiang, Y.-L., Liu, P.-C., Huang, P.-H. (Eds.), Workshop on Improving Pitaya Production and Marketing. Fengshan Trop. Hort. Exp. Branch, Taiwan, pp: 19–29.
Nerd, A., Sitrit, Y., Kaushik, R. A. and Mizrahi, Y. (2002). High summer temperatures inhibit flowering in vine pitaya crops (Hylocereus spp.). Sci. Hortic, 96: 343-50.
Nie, Q., Gao, G. L., Fan, Q. J., Qiao, G., Wen, X. P., Liu, T., Peng, Z. J. and Cai, Y. Q. (2015). Isolation and characterization of a catalase gene “HuCAT3” from pitaya (Hylocereus undatus) and its expression under abiotic stress. Gene. 563: 63-71.
Nurliyana, R., Zahir, I. S., Suleiman, K. M., Aisyah, M. R. and Rahim, K. K. (2010). Antioxidant study of pulps and peels of dragon fruits: A comparative study. Int. Food Res. J. 17: 367-75.
Ortiz-Hernández, Y. D. and Salazar, J. A. C. (2012). Pitahaya (Hylocereus spp.): a short review. Comun. Sci. 3: 220-37.
Osuna-Enciso, T., Valdez-Torres, J. B., Sañudo-Barajas, J. A., Muy-Rangel, M. D., Hernandez-Verdugo, S., Villarreal-Romero, M. and Osuna-Rodriguez, J. M. (2016). Reproductive phenology, yield and fruit quality of pitahaya (Hylocereus undatus) in Culiacan Valley, Mexico. Agrociencia 50: 61-78.
Patwary, M. A., Rahman, M. H., Barua, H., Sarkar, S. and Alam, M. S. (2013). Study on the growth and development of two dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus) genotypes. Agriculturists 11: 52-57.
Primack, R. B., Gallinat, A. S., Ellwood, E. R., Crimmins, T. M., Schwartz, M. D., Staudinger, M. D. and Miller-Rushing, A. J. (2023). Ten best practices for effective phenological research. Int. J. Biometeorol. 67: 1509-22.
Pushpakumara, D. K. N. G., Gunasena, H. P. M. and Karyawasam, M. (2005). Flowering and fruiting phenology, pollination vectors and breeding system of dragon fruit (Hylocereus spp.). Sri Lankan J. Agric. Sci. 42: 81-91.
Sethunath, K. and Bhaskar, J. (2023). Phenology of dragon fruit crop grown in Kerala. J. Trop. Agric. 61: 153-56.
Silva, A. C. C. Cavallari, L. D. L., Sabião, R. R. and Martins, A. B. G. (2015). Reproductive phenology of red dragon fruit in Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil. Cienc. Rural 45: 585-90.
Tarte, I., Singh, A., Dar, A. H., Sharma, A., Altaf, A. and Sharma, P. (2023). Unfolding the potential of dragon fruit (Hylocereus spp.) for value addition: A review. eFood, 4: 1-19.
Then, K. H., Faiz, O. M. and Norshafiqah, K. (2020). The flowering pattern and fruit production of red pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus) under Malaysian growing condition. Int. J. Agric. Innov. Res. 8: 311-17.
Wybraniec, S., Platzner, I., Geresh, S., Gottlieb, H. E., Haimberg, M., Mogilnitzki, M. and Mizrahi, Y. (2001). Betacyanins from vine cactus Hylocereus polyrhizus. Phytochemistry 58: 1209-12.
Zainudin, M. and Hafiz, B. A. (2015). Status of dragon fruit production in Malaysia. In: Proc. Improving Pitaya Production and Marketing Workshop. pp: 13-15.

Global Footprints