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Primary Uses: |
Fresh fruit |
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Planting: |
Papaya is either male or female.
Only female plants bear commercial fruit. Plants are started
from seed in a nursery. Papaya may also be propagated from
cuttings or tissue cultures. |
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Seeding Rate: |
Puerto Rican trials have shown that
papaya plants set in the field on 6 ft (1.8 m) centers made
stronger, stouter growth and were more fruitful than those at closer
spacings. Some growers insist on an 8 x 8 ft (2.4 x 2.4 m) area per
plant. |
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Fertility: |
Optimum pH range is 5.5 to 6.7.
The best results have been obtained by giving 9 oz (250 g) of
nitrogen, 9 oz (250 g) of phosphorus, and 18 oz (500 g) potash to
each plant each year, divided into 6 applications. |
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Insects: |
Most insects causing damage in the Caribbean
area include papaya fruit fly, (Toxotrypana curvicauda),
papaya web-worm, or fruit cluster worm, (Homolapalpia dalera),
papaya whitefly, (Trialeuroides variabilis), and red spider
mite, (Tetranychus seximaculatus). |
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Diseases: |
A serious disease of Papaya is the
mosaic virus which has been controlled only by introducing GMO
varieties with resistance. Other diseases include Papaya
ringspot virus, Bunchy top, Anthracnose, phytophthora blight,
Root-rot by Pythium sp., Powdery mildew, caused by Oidium
caricae, Corynespora leaf spot, and Black Spot. |
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Harvest: |
For the local Hawaiian market, in winter
months, papayas may be allowed to color fairly well before picking,
but for local market in summer and for shipment, only the first
indication of yellow is permissible. The fruits must be handled with
great care to avoid scratching and leaking of latex which stains the
fruit skin. Picking starts when the plants are 11 months of
age and continues for 48 months when the trees are 25 ft (7.5 m)
high, too tall for further usefulness. |
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Comments: |
Brief exposure to 32º F is damaging;
prolonged cold without overhead sprinkling will kill the plants.
In Ohio plants must be overwintered in the greenhouse.
TCS | |
