DRAGON FRUIT LOADING PROCESS

Dragon fruit is a beautiful tropical fruit in Vietnam. Some information below about the process of dragon fruit loading will help you understand more!

The fruit weight increases rapidly during the time from blooming until the time of harvest the fruit turns from blue to full red (30 days) then weighted fruit growth is slow and steady. The fruit turns red on the 25th day after flowering, the red on the fruit grows very fast and by the 30th day, the red fruit is characteristic of this fruit. As such, dragon fruit should be harvested within 30 to 32 days after flowering so that the fruits are of the best quality and preserved longer.

When harvesting fruit 30 – 32 days after flowering, we can preserve fruit for about 3 weeks (at 100C, humidity 90 – 95%). The appearance of the outside of the fruit is good after storage, the fruit is characteristic red. Fruit from the 36th day after bloom on, the preservation time of the fruit dropped, the fruit ear quickly withered to reduce the beauty of the fruit.

For early harvested dragon fruit (26 – 28 days after flowering), Brix degree leaves before and after storage are low, total acidity and dry matter content decrease fast after storage. This explains the sensory quality of the very fruit least. When the fruit reaches maturity on the tree means that when the fruit is color totally red (since the 30th day after blooming), the fruit keeps the quality after storage.

Dragon fruit

Brix refers to the sweetness of the fruit Brix speed increased from day 26 after flowers bloom and highest at day 40 (14.1%). To consume domestic market, people prefer to keep fruit on the tree longer because consumers prefer sweet fruit (Thai Thi Hoa et al., 2000).

The color change of the shell: During the 16-22 days after flowering, the color change occurs slowly, but beginning on day 22 the red color appears, completely red on day 25 and then red dark on the 31st. The growth time of the dragon fruit from bloom to maturity is 30- 32 days.

Depending on market requirements, we can collect fruits early (30 days) or late (34 days). If the fruit is harvested earlier (26 – 28 days), the red color of the fruit still develops later but not beautiful, especially the sensory quality of the meat is very poor (pale, no characteristic odor) from the 38th day onwards, the beauty of the dragon fruit is reduced by the color of the fruit begins to fade and there are more nodules on the fruit.

In summary, to get the dragon fruit quality and beauty and allow fresh storage for the longest time, we should harvest the fruit is a period from the 30th to 32nd day after flowering. At this stage, their beautiful colors and other biochemical indicators achieve optimal value.

Before harvesting dragon fruit, it is necessary to prepare the following equipment: bag, litter, and fruit shed.

– Preparing to collect dragons (to cut branches)

– Prepare plastic baskets

– Prepare the fruit container dragon fruit

– Prepare the trolley

– Prepare trailers

– Prepare balance for distribution type and weight of dragon fruit

– Preparing the warehouse contains dragon fruit

Dragon fruit harvest

Equipment is prepared to harvest the fruit must be sharp, sharp such as knives, scissors, baskets, … used in harvesting many times must be cleaned and preserved carefully. Equipment must be fully prepared to the fruit after cutting is contained in the plastic basket, cooler, pre-sort and transport to the packhouse as soon as possible as soon as possible, do not leave long outside the garden

– Equipment, containers or supplies in direct contact with dragon fruit must be made from non-contaminated materials on the product 11.

– Equipment, containers must be sure and clean before cleaning use.

– Equipment, containers for harvested dragon fruit and packing materials must be stored separate from chemical storage, fertilizer, and additives and there are measures to minimize the risk of pollution.

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– Step 1: Determine the area, the output of dragon fruit to be harvested

– Step 2: Determine the average harvest capacity of a person

– Step 3: Determine the number of harvest and transportation

– Step 4: Preparation for labor and transportation.

The dragon fruit plastic basket

Stop spraying pesticides and growth stimulants before harvesting 7 – 10 days. It should be harvested in about 30 – 34 days after blooms to quality fruit the best and long preserved. Good harvest time especially in the early morning or afternoon cool avoid the hot sun direct projection on the fruit increases the temperature in the fruit, causing dehydration affects the quality and time preservation, and the harvest tools have to be sharp.

After cutting in the plastic basket, in the cooler, stool preliminary type and shipped immediately pack house as soon as possible, not long in the garden. Tools such as knives, scissors, basket … used in the harvest many times must be made cleaned, and careful management.

The man uses scissors for dragon fruit harvest

The fruit is not damaged by fungus insect pests. It must be clean, beautiful shape, reddish in color over 70% of the area fruit, deep cavity no more than one. Straight, blue and long straight leaves are more than 1.5 cm (for China Market leaves are as long as possible). The fruit’s flesh is white hard, black seeds (intestinal dragon fruit white). The fruit is red and hard, black seeds (red-fleshed dragon fruit). There are no lesions mechanical or dark, no blue spots or sunburns by chemical spraying.

Dragon fruits after classification

– Fruit cleansing: Wash with clean water

– Fungicide and preservative treatment: Soak the fruit in Benomyl solution at 500 ppm for 1 minute to treat fungal infections. Only use chemicals (chlorine, ozone …), reparations   allowed in the postharvest process.

– Fruit treatment by physical methods such as heat treatment, irradiation … to kill fungal diseases and harmful organisms during storage.

– Step 1: Harvest (30-32 days after fruit)

– Step 2: Preliminary classification in the field

– Step 3: Classify the standard pepper market (in the warehouse)

– Step 4: Wash the fruit (with clean water)

– Step 5: Dealing with pesticides mushrooms and preservatives.

– Step 6: Dry (at temperature room)

– Step 7: Check the substance quantity

– Step 8: Labeling crating

– Step 9: Preserve in the regulator

– Step 10: Temperature of 6-70C, humidity 95-100%)

A delicious dragon fruit