Dragon fruit, pitaya or strawberry pear (Hylocereus spp. and Selenicereus spp.) or Kamalam is emerging as a super crop worldwide. It has many advantages, because of which it has drawn much attention among Indian growers like low water and nutrient requirements, relatively less requirement of resources for establishing the orchard and maintenance, multiple harvest of fruit in a year, potential to sustain high yield up to 20 years, high benefit to cost ratio. It has now become the favorite fruit

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... mong consumers due to high nutraceuticals and functional properties (e.g., rich in antioxidants and fibres). Being a crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plant with xerophytes' characters, it has got potential to grow in diversified agroclimatic conditions, marginal areas and owing to its low maintenance, high profitability. In recent years the area under dragon fruit cultivation is increasing in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Gujarat and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, as well as in many north eastern states. The major challenge in dragon fruit cultivation is to standardize region specific protocols of cultivation, harvesting and post–harvest management practices for enhancing yield and quality. At present, little information is available on cultivation aspects of Dragon fruit. Research on different aspects of cultivation, global and national cultivation status and health benefits of this fruit can help to maximize the benefits to worldwide growers and consumers and to expand the market of dragon fruit.