A used rubber tyre was repurposed as trellis top in dragon fruit cultivation in Medchal Malkajgiri
| Photo Credit: K. Shiva Shanker
A few farmers in Telangana have adopted the practice of repurposing rubber tyres as trellis-tops in Dragon Fruits cultivation.The wheels are used as the crown of pillars part of trellis — a framework of stone or concrete pillars and wires which help vines to spread. An acre of trellis needs around 187 pillars and an equal number of circular structures are needed.
The farmers said that using old tyres was a practice in other countries, which was adopted here.However, many here preferred cement (circular) structures to support the vine at the top.
Sripathi Ponnaiah, a farmer in Adraspalle of Mudichinthalpally mandal in Medchal Malkajgiri said that he has placed the tyres four years ago and none of them cracked. “I checked them recently. They are still strong,” he said.
However, experienced farmers cautioned that worn out tyres are prone to cracking as rubber may become brittle due to long exposure to water, sun and cold, leading to crop collapsing.
”Dragon fruit plant is a creeper, which cannot support itself. It would not bear fruits or give less produce if it grows only vertically. The circular structure helps it to spread and the stems drop — which helps the plant in flowering. This method helps in having more stems, more flowers and thus more fruits,” said Srinivas Rao Madhavaram, founder and director of Deccan Exotics FPO – which has a wide collection of Dragon Fruits.
He said that the ideal diameter of a circular structure should be between 24 to 28 inches. Anything over or less that may not help in getting a good yield because of overcrowding and decreases air flow.
A farmer from Kondareddypally in Keshampet Mandal of Rangareddy, Panala Shyam Kumar, said that though some farmers used rubber tyres, he opted for cement structures on top of poles to avoid damage to the crop.
The highest production of the fruit in 2024-25 was 1980 metric tonnes in Siddipet across 183.25 acres, followed by 840.78 MTs in 164.725 acres in Sangareddy and 691.2 MTs in 120.225 acres in Nagarkurnool. Siddipet District Horticulture and Sericulture Officer, G. Suvarna, said that most of the farmers in the district use cement structures.
Telangana districts with highest production of Dragon Fruit
| Production (In Metric Tonnes) | Area (in Acres) | District |
| 1980 | 183.25 | Siddipet |
| 840.78 | 164.725 | Sangareddy |
| 691.2 | 120.225 | Nagarkurnool |
| 660 | 124.35 | Yadadri Bhuvanagiri |
| 655.2 | 136.45 | Nalgonda |
| 590.2 | 73.775 | Medchal Malkajgiri |
| 520 | 74.525 | Rajanna Sircilla |
| 290.55 | 66.675 | Khammam |
| 290.25 | 48.375 | Nizamabad |
| 228 | 69.7 | Mahbubnagar |
Published – January 23, 2026 07:47 am IST
