New dragon fruit variety with reddish purple flesh to be planted broadly in Binh Thuan

BTO- Currently, only white fleshed and red fleshed dragon fruit varieties are being planted extensively in Binh Thuan province. Somewhat, they have not met the demand for diversified products of domestic and overseas markets. For this reason, scientists of Southern Fruit Research Institute (SOFRI) have successfully made sexual hybridization between red-fleshed and white-fleshed dragon fruit varieties to generate reddish-purple fleshed dragon fruit.

New dragon fruit variety with reddish purple flesh to be planted broadly in Binh Thuan

It is remarkable that the newly-hybridized dragon fruit variety is able to flower and fruit all year round, with plump cacti and tasty fruits. Its fruit has egg or oblong egg shape with nice skin, green “leaves” and reddish purple flesh. Particularly, this new dragon fruit variety is nearly free from pests, bringing a significant advantage to farming.

To prove the strong point of reddish purple fleshed dragon fruit tree, SOFRI’s researchers have conducted experiments on its distinctions, homogeneousness and value by taking pilot cultivation in many localities (Tien Giang, Long An and Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces) and attained satisfactory results. In detail: after 16-month-cultivation, the productivity of reddish-purple fleshed dragon fruit trees reached 14.54kg/tree (main crop) in Tien Giang province, 11.61kg/tree in Long An province, and 4.89 kg/tree in Ba Ria-Vung Tau.

Chairman of Binh Thuan provincial People’s Committee, who took notice of the economic value of reddish purple fleshed dragon fruit variety, has recently given a nod to Department of Agriculture and Rural Development on implementing the section of farming the reddish purple fleshed dragon fruit variety developed by SOFRI on dragon fruit development areas from 2013 onwards. This section belongs to the project “Quality and safety enhancement of agricultural products and biogas development program in Binh Thuan” (QSEAP).

Hopefully, the new dragon fruit variety with reddish purple flesh will open up a promising export product with high economic value for Binh Thuan.

Author: Phuong Lan

Source: Binh Thuan newspaper

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