Dragon Fruit Disease

Our early findings was that 'white spots' caused on dragon fruits branches was due to sucking insects. I have gone at least three farms around the country to find out what is the main cause of white spots. From my observations, we detected no fungus or bacteria- like diseases. Our hypotheses is that the pathogen attack or damage only when there were punctures or small holes made by insects.Therefore, the disease came in later once the tissue ruptured. Our mission is to control the vector. It is not easy to find the vector because it very very small or minute to be seen with our naked eyes.
Our solution was try avoid those insects using organic oils etc. Here are my comments in Malay language

Dari pengamatan yang dibuat, adalah di percayai keratan batang dan buah yang dihantar buah naga tuan telah di serang oleh kumbang halus (scale insect) dimana kesan gigitan terdapat pada kulit. Ada kemungkinan pendapat adalah disebabkan bakteria.

Rawatan pemberian racun berbentuk `broadspectrum’ seperti Decis, Rogor atau mempunyai racun yang mempunyai bahan aktif `dimethoate’ adalah difikirkan sesuai. Sekiranya jangkitan disebabkan bakteria racun Kocide boleh digunakan.

Disamping itu kebersihan ladang seperti rumput rumpai hendaklah dijaga. Syor kami ialah menyembur tanaman buah naga (dragon fruits) dengan baja foliar, racun kulat dan racun serangga berbentuk `cocktail’ iaitu bebe ntuk campuran. (10 g Welgrow (baja foliar); 10 g Lebacid (racun serangga) dan 20 g Manzate-D (racun kulat) di campur dengan 1 gelen air.