Recently, high-temperature waves have attacked many pitaya-producing areas. Some growers said that it is estimated that this season's production is only 20% of the previous year's output, and the fruit is smaller than before. A grower in the Jiangsu producing area said that the fruiting time of pitaya lasts from mid-July to the end of December every year, and the fruiting usually takes 5 to 6 times in a growing season (year). This period of a year is normally the time for pitaya to be on the market in large quantities.
The grower said that the buds of many fruits were burned white and fell off easily when the temperature was above 40°C for several consecutive days. In each greenhouse, there are very few fruits that are ripe and ready to be picked. A small amount of fruit is not only small, but also obviously shriveled.
This is not only due to the high temperature, but also the lack of water. After many days of high temperature and no rain, there is no water source around the farm. Due to high temperature and water shortage, the growth and fruiting of peach trees on the farm were also affected, resulting in great losses. From the current point of view, the production of pitaya has been reduced by at least 80%. If it does not rain and cool down, the following fruiting and harvest situation will be even more unclear.
Pitaya is a tropical and subtropical fruit. It likes light, tolerates shade, tolerates heat and drought, likes fertilizer, and is resistant to barrenness. So, why are tropical fruits also afraid of heat? Although pitaya is a heat-loving fruit, it also likes a suitable growth environment, especially at a suitable temperature. Once the limit is exceeded and the temperature continues to be too high, the fruit trees and seedlings will not be able to withstand it, and the growth will be abnormal. As a consequence of high temperatures, problems such as unbalanced root water absorption and insufficient pollination will also appear.
Source: Zhenjiang Daily