Pitaya Irrigation Drip Irrigation Technology:

1. Irrigation: Water is the lifeblood of plant growth and an indispensable constituent of all physiological processes. In the life cycle of fruit trees, water maintains cell turgor, ensures stomatal opening for carbon dioxide uptake, and facilitates gas exchange. All biochemical reactions within the plant can only occur in the presence of water. Nutrients in the soil can be absorbed and utilized only when they are dissolved in water. More importantly, water is a vital reactant in photosynthesis and forms the foundation for yield formation. Furthermore, adequate water supply sustains transpiration in fruit trees, helps regulate tree temperature, and ensures the efficient transport of photosynthetic products and mineral nutrients. Therefore, timely irrigation is a crucial practice in fruit tree cultivation for achieving early fruiting, high yields, and superior fruit quality.

(1) Irrigation timing: Irrigation should be applied before fruit trees are affected by water stress; under no circumstances should watering be delayed until the trees are already experiencing drought symptoms, such as wilting or shriveled fruits. The primary criterion for determining whether irrigation is needed is soil moisture. Generally, soil moisture at 60%–80% of field capacity is optimal for the growth and development of fruit trees. Dragon fruit, which has long been cultivated in arid desert regions, exhibits strong tolerance to water deficit. Abroad, soil moisture is typically measured using specialized instruments to guide irrigation decisions. In addition to soil moisture, irrigation timing should also take into account climatic conditions and the specific growth stage of the fruit trees. In production practice, irrigation is most often carried out during the following periods.

① From before bud break to the early flowering stage: if the soil contains sufficient moisture during this period, it can promote vigorous shoot growth, increase leaf area, enhance photosynthesis, and ensure normal flowering and fruit set, thereby laying the foundation for a high yield that year. In regions prone to spring drought, irrigation at this stage is particularly important.

② New shoot growth and young fruit enlargement: This period is often referred to as the water-critical stage for fruit trees. During this time, the physiological functions of fruit trees are at their peak; if water is insufficient, leaves will draw moisture away from the young fruits, causing them to shrivel and drop.

③ During the rapid fruit expansion stage, applying Jiamai Yinglilai and Hongli fertilizers along with irrigation can meet the fruit’s nutritional and water requirements for expansion. However, it is crucial to control the irrigation volume and adopt small, frequent watering applications.

④ In arid regions during autumn and winter, irrigating before and after fruit harvest as well as during the dormancy period can ensure adequate soil moisture reserves, facilitate fertilizer decomposition, and thereby promote the growth and development of fruit trees in the following spring. After the final harvest of pitaya fruits in autumn and winter, the plants enter a dormant phase; under such conditions, appropriate irrigation can stimulate vegetative growth and accelerate the conversion of shoots into fruiting branches.

(2) Irrigation Method and Irrigation Volume

Drip irrigation Drip irrigation is an advanced, mechanized and automated irrigation technique that has been developed in recent years. It involves delivering water in the form of droplets or fine streams slowly and directly to the root zone of plants, and is now being progressively adopted in agricultural production. Drip irrigation It offers numerous advantages: for instance, drip irrigation moistens only the soil layer immediately surrounding the crop roots and the topsoil, thereby significantly reducing water evaporation; the system can be fully automated, minimizing labor requirements; moreover, it enables frequent and uniform watering of the root zone, maintaining optimal soil moisture—neither overly wet nor excessively dry—while also ensuring good aeration in the root zone. When drip irrigation is combined with fertigation, it can continuously supply nutrients to the root system, promoting the growth and development of fruit trees and achieving dual benefits in one go. According to foreign reports, drip irrigation can increase fruit tree yields. 20%–50%. However, drip irrigation systems require a large quantity of piping, resulting in higher capital investment. They also necessitate a water tower capable of maintaining adequate pressure, a water filtration system, main and lateral pipelines for delivering water into the orchard, as well as capillary tubing and emitters distributed around each tree. Moreover, the piping and emitters are prone to clogging, thus demanding the use of high-quality filtration equipment.