Effect of Mulching on Growth of Dragon Fruit [Hylocereus costaricencis (Web.) Britton and Rose] in Sub Tropical Climate

The experiment on mulching practices for the better use of soil moisture for the growth of dragon fruit which is a hardy Cactaceae family was conducted at sub-tropical climate of Lucknow region. There were 8 treatments (mulching with sugarcane trash, paddy straw, wheat straw, dry leaves, saw dust, black polyethylene and transparent polyethylene). Mulching was done round the base of plants on 60 cm radius. The mulching with transparent polyethylene showed better growth in terms of plant length, number of segment, distance between areole, number of new branches as well as chlorophyll content. However, among the organic mulches saw dust, dry leaves and wheat straw beneficial for improving vegetative growth of dragon fruit.