Following the successful conduct of On-Farm Demonstrations (OFDs) on supplementary pollination technology in dragon fruit during 15–19 July 2026, ICAR-NIASM, Baramati organized two Field Days to showcase the field-level impact and practical benefits of the technology. The first Field Day was conducted on 15 August 2026 at Tukai Chowk, Malegaon–Karvagaj Road, in the dragon fruit orchard of Mr. Vittal Kate, where an OFD had earlier been conducted on 15 July 2026. About 20 participants, including 10 dragon fruit growers, participated in the programme. Dr. K. Sammi Reddy, Director, ICAR-NIASM, graced the event and encouraged farmers to adopt supplementary pollination along with other improved production technologies for enhancing dragon fruit productivity and profitability.

During the interaction, Mr. Omkar Kate, a young dragon fruit farmer shared his experience with the ICAR-NIASM supplementary pollination technology. He observed that supplementary pollination resulted in larger and attractive bright coloured fruits, with fruits also reaching maturity 1–2 days earlier than those without supplementary pollination. The scientists and participating farmers subsequently visited the dragon fruit orchard of Mr. Kiran Navale, who has been following the ICAR-NIASM technology. He reported an additional 50–100 g fruit weight per fruit, which, according to his field experience, could translate into approximately one ton of additional yield from 645 poles per flowering cycle. He also shared nutrient, water and other crop management practices and expressed his intention to continue the supplementary pollination in the future also.

The second Field Day was conducted on 17 August 2026 at Dhakale village in the dragon fruit orchard of Mr. Pradeep Jagtap, where an OFD on supplementary pollination had been conducted by ICAR-NIASM on 16 July 2026. Mr. Jagtap shared his experience and reported an additional 150 g fruit weight per fruit following the simple supplementary pollination practice. Dr. Boraiah K. M. explained the importance of effective pollination in dragon fruit and demonstrated different methods of supplementary pollination, including the appropriate procedure, do’s and don’ts, and precautions to be followed. Farmers actively interacted with the scientists and raised questions regarding bee pollination and alternative practices such as shaking and blowing, which were discussed during the field demonstration.

Dr. Basavaraj P. S. and Dr. Hanamant M. Halli analysed the field data on-site and discussed the comparative performance of fruits under natural and supplementary pollination with the farmers. Dr. V. D. Kakade further presented the fruit-weight data in local language. Based on 50 fruits each, the average fruit weight was 396 g under natural pollination compared with 553 g under supplementary pollination, representing an increase of about 157 g per fruit. More than 80% of the supplementary-pollinated fruits were graded as A1, with the remaining fruits falling under A grade, whereas naturally pollinated fruits were distributed across A1, A, B and C grades. Dr. Vijaysinha D Kakade also discussed pruning, shade management, nutrient and water management, and integrated disease management (IDM) practices in response to farmers’ queries. About 30 participants, including 20 dragon fruit farmers, along with extension and agriculture officers from the State Government, participated in the Field Day. Farmers themselves shared their experiences and observations during the field visit, making the programme an effective platform for farmer-to-farmer learning. The participants appreciated the visible improvement in fruit size, weight and quality demonstrated under farmers’ field conditions and acknowledged the efforts of ICAR-NIASM in developing and promoting the technology.

Coordinators: Dr. Boraiah K. M., Dr. V. D. Kakade, Dr. Basavaraj P. S., Dr. Harisha C. B., Dr. Hanamant M. Halli, Dr. Vanita Salunkhe, Dr. K. Ravi Kumar, Mr. Prakash Kate and Mr. Santosh Gade.

Facilitator: Ms. Swati Kokane, Agriculture Officer, Baramati.

Field day at Malegaon on 15.08.2026

Field day at Dhakale on 17.08.2026