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Effect of Day-length Enhancement and Night-breaking by Artificial Lighting on Off Season Fruit Production of Dragon Fruit in Bangladesh (nansingdi, 2018-2019)

M. M. Rahman
Regional Horticulture Research Station, BARI, Shibpur, Narsingdi,

Q. M. Ahmed
Regional Horticulture Research Station, BARI, Shibpur, Narsingdi,

A. K. M. A. Hoque
Regional Horticulture Research Station, BARI, Shibpur, Narsingdi,

R. Akter
Regional Horticulture Research Station, BARI, Shibpur, Narsingdi,

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Effect of day-length enhancement and night-breaking by artificial lighting on dragon fruit were studied for off season fruit production during September 2017 to July 2019, at the research field of Regional Horticulture Research Station, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Shibpur, Narsingdi. BARI Dragon fruit-1 was used in this experiment. The day length prolongation was done by supplemental lighting from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and the night-breaking from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. by different artificial lighting. No additional light was used at untreated control plant. Fast flower bud became visible at 03-03-2018 and fruit was harvested at 01-05-2018 in dragon fruit plants under artificial day length enhancement. In control plants fast flower buds became visible at normal flowering time which was 22-05-2018 and fruit was harvested at 03-07-2018. Minimum days to first flower bud opening was from light application was observed in day length enhancement (123 days) while it was maximum in control (203 days). During off season formation of flower buds, bloom of flowers and harvest of fruit was done in plants under artificial lightning. While plants under untreated control failed to produce any flower buds and fruits during off season.

Keywords: Dragon fruit, Fruit, Flower setting, Fruit setting, Growth parameters, Cultivation, Fertilizer

Location: Regional Horticulture Research Station, BARI, Shibpur, Narsingdi, Bangladesh

Start Date: 00-09-2017

End Date: 00-07-2019

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Dragon fruit, Cropping System

Objectives:

To develop off season production techniques under short day length in our country.

Methodology:

The experiment was carried out at Regional Horticulture Research Station, BARI, Shibpur, Narsingdi, from September 2017 to July 2019. The day light prolongation was done by increasing day length with supplemental lighting from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and the night-breaking with supplemental lighting from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. as main Plot-A. The artificial lighting was done by different type of electric bulbs. There were four treatments that were T₁= 100 (±5) watt incandescent bulbs; T₂= 36 (±2) watt CFL bulbs; T₃= 26 (±2) watt CFL bulbs and T₄= 20(±1) watt LED light. No additional light was treated as control. The light enhancement or night-breaking was done by supplemental lighting using different types of electric bulbs. The bulbs line was hung between two rows of dragon fruit at the high of 0.1 to 1.5m. One bulb was kept in the central of four dragon fruit plants, thus the light distributed in all direction of each plant. From 01 November to 31 March the supplemental lighting was applied. The 4 pillars of 5 years old dragon fruit plantswere planted in a 36 square meter area, which was considered a unit plot. Each pit (pillar) was fertilized with 50-75 kg cow dung, 2000 Urea, 1200 g TSP, 1200 g MOP, 450 g Gypsum, 100 Borax and 50 g ZnSO4 per year were applied, respectively. The fertilizers were applied in four equal installments. The intercultural operations such as weeding, irrigation etc. were done as and when needed. Data on different phenology, flowering and fruit characteristics were recorded for analysis. Mean data was analyzed statistically and was carried out to analysis of variance using the STAR program.

Source of Information: Annual Research Report 2018-2019, Fruit Research Farm of HRC, BARI, Gazipur

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

It was found that the off-season production of dragon fruits is found successful in Bangladesh by manipulating the environment through artificial lighting using 100-watt incandescent bulb (normal bulb), 20-watt Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs or 36-watt compact fluorescent lamps (CFL).

Knowledge Management: Report/Proceedings