Year in Review: Dragon fruit - New Zealand’s new commercial crop?

Scientists have been testing dragon fruit cultivars developed in Vietnam with those available locally, to assess the crop's potential for growing in New Zealand.

The Country looks back at some of the biggest and best stories of the past 12 months, including readers’ favourites, huge news events and those yarns that gave us a glimpse into rural lives and livelihoods across the country.

Originally published September 2.

The popularity of dragon fruit is on the rise.

Though the fruit is native to Central and South America, many regions now grow dragon fruit, including Asia and the Middle East and imported fruit is becoming an increasingly common sight in New Zealand produce stores and supermarkets.

So could dragon fruit become a new commercial crop for Aotearoa?

A pilot trial at Plant & Food Research’s Kerikeri site was established in 2020 to determine the climatic adaptation and economic feasibility of growing dragon fruit in New Zealand.

Scientists have been testing cultivars developed in Vietnam with those available locally to assess the crop’s potential.

While Aotearoa’s cold and wet winter weather is not ideal for dragon fruit plants, the crops can thrive in raised mounds or in large pots.

Combined with the use of covers/ tunnels, these measures could enable dragon fruit to grow in a range of conditions and soil types, including unproductive land.

Plant & Food Research has been working with the Southern Horticultural Research Institute in Vietnam since 2013 (as part of the New Premium Fruit Variety Development Project (NPFVD)) to increase the value of the dragon fruit industry.

Despite being the world’s largest dragon fruit supplier, there is an opportunity for growth in Vietnam’s dragon fruit industry.

Taking the best from Aotearoa’s success stories such as “Scilate”/Envy and Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit, there is an opportunity for proprietary dragon fruit cultivars to underpin a controlled production commercialisation model with all parties in the supply chain benefitting from growth.

Plant & Food Research scientists have developed three new cultivars that offer novel flavours and colours for global consumers, as well as tolerance to canker disease, which has devastated dragon fruit plantations in several countries.

VentureFruit has exclusive global commercialisation rights to these new varieties. All three new varieties are red-skinned, with a sweeter, more aromatic flavour than current varieties, and with a crisp dense texture.

The varieties vary in flesh colour, one with the traditional white flesh most commonly seen, a unique pink-fleshed variety, and a dark, appealing red-fleshed variety.

The varieties are believed to be the first canker-tolerant dragon fruit to be commercialised.

Canker is a highly destructive disease of dragon fruit, killing plants and causing visible damage to fruit.

Initially, the new varieties will be commercially developed in Vietnam for export markets.

Alongside the new cultivars, the scientists also developed a new growing system with the potential to cost-effectively double yield.

This T-bar system replaces the traditional mop-top growing system and, in addition to lifting yield, allows excellent spray coverage for pest and disease control.

Dragon fruit contains antioxidants and prebiotic fibre as well as vitamins and minerals and is prized in many parts of Asia where its red colour is associated with good fortune.

The juice of the dragon fruit provides a natural colourant and the fruit can be processed into products like energy bars and ice cream, while by-products from processing, such as the skin, offer applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries and could add value for the industry.