Tens of Thousands of LED Supplemental Grow Lights Illuminate Pitaya Plantation Base in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan

Driving through rural areas in Yunnan after dark, many people will encounter a distinctive sight: vast farmlands lit up brightly by rows of lights, as if the neon lights of cities have been moved to the countryside.

These are neither street lamps nor landscape lights, but dedicated grow lights for pitaya (dragon fruit).

In Jingne Township, Jinghong City, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, tens of thousands of LED supplemental lights turn on simultaneously after nightfall. Dotted lights spread across the fruit orchards, resembling a grand light show. Behind this seemingly romantic scenery lies a secret of agricultural technology - farmers are finding ways to stop pitaya plants from “going to sleep”.

Pitaya is a typical light-loving plant highly sensitive to illumination. It can only complete flower bud differentiation, blossom and bear fruit under sufficient light. If continuous rainy weather occurs or daylight hours are short, pitaya enters a dormant-like state, stops developing flower buds, leading to reduced yield and poorer fruit quality.

From a botanical perspective, pitaya essentially measures the length of daily light exposure. When it senses longer daylight hours, it judges growing conditions are favorable and proceeds to blossom and fruit actively. Taking advantage of this trait, supplemental lights artificially extend lighting hours, tricking pitaya into believing daytime has not ended and maintaining vigorous growth.

However, keeping pitaya plants active is far more complex than simply switching on lights.

Light of different wavelengths exerts varying effects on plant growth. Red light boosts plant growth, flowering and fruiting, while blue light facilitates chlorophyll synthesis and plant development. Many orchards adopt specially designed LED supplemental lighting systems. Scientifically tuned spectra enhance photosynthetic efficiency. Compared with energy-saving lamps and other traditional light sources used in the past, LEDs consume less power, feature longer service life and generate low heat. They can be placed close to plants without damaging fruit trees.

Some modern orchards are also equipped with light sensors and intelligent control systems. Supplemental lighting devices activate automatically when natural light is insufficient and shut down once preset conditions are met, enabling precise light supplementation. This meets pitaya’s growth demands while cutting electricity costs as much as possible.

With so many lights running at night, will the production cost of pitaya become extremely high?

For pitaya growers, supplemental lighting is not an extra burden but a cost-effective investment. With LED supplemental lighting, the flowering cycle of pitaya can be extended, and fruit set volume rises noticeably. In some regions, output per mu can increase by several thousand jin. Revenues from higher yields usually far exceed the additional electricity costs for lighting.

Light supplementation technology also frees pitaya production from seasonal constraints. Pitaya was previously only available on the market in specific seasons. Now scientific regulation enables staggered production and stable supply. It not only enriches consumers’ fruit selections but also lifts growers’ incomes.

Pitaya cultivation has become one of Xishuangbanna’s characteristic competitive industries. Statistics show that by December 2025, the pitaya planting area in Xishuangbanna Prefecture reached 108,800 mu with an output of 299,600 tonnes, driving agricultural output value of 899 million yuan. More than 260 business entities operate in the local pitaya industry, forming a development framework involving leading enterprises, cooperatives and individual farmers.

Driven particularly by the “Company + Base + Farmer” model, a growing number of local farmers participate in pitaya planting, management and sales. Many growers achieve an income increase of over ten thousand yuan per mu. Ordinary mountain and sloped land has now turned into a “sweet industry” that helps local residents prosper.