PAPAYA

Botanical name : Carica papaya

Family: Caricaceae
Chromosome no. : 2n=2X=18
Origin : Tropical America
(Mexico)

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Taxonomic classification

 Phylum : Angiospermae
 Sub Phylum : Dicotyledons
 Division : Lignosae
 Order : Cucurbitales
 Family: Caricaceae
 Species : Carica papaya L.
 Chrosome no. : 2n=2X=18

 Carica-22 spp., Jacarita-6pp., Jarilla-1spp., Cylicomorpha-2spp.

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 BOTANY
• Papaya has 4 genera and 22 species. It is naturally a dioecious
plant, but gynodioecious cultivars have been developed in
papaya through breeding.

• Papaya is quick growing herbaceous perennial single

stemmed, unbranched plant. The leaves are palm like with
long talks. Flowers are borne in axillary position and
solitary and fragrant with variety of sex forms.

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 FLORAL BIOLOGY
 Dioecious papaya produces male and female flowers separately on different plants
while gynodioecious produces both male and female flowers on the same plant.

 Anther dehiscence was completed within 18-36 hours before the flowers opened
and the stigma becomes receptive a day before the flowers opened remaining
receptive for 6 days.

 The peak anthesis observed between 5-6 am. The receptivity of stigma was found
on day of anthesis and remains receptive for 6 days.

 Three types of flowers ;

o Female
o Male
o Hermophrodite

Staminate- show sex reversal in different Environmental conditions

Hermophrodite- show sex reversal in different Environmental conditions
Pistillate- highly stable.

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Storey (1958) reported 8 categories of flowers in papaya(morphological/sex
forms).

•Staminate- produed by male plant.

•Tetralogical staminate- produced by sex reversing male plants.
•Reduced elongata-produced by hermophodite plants.
•Elongata- produced by hermoprodite plants(referred to as normal
bisexual flower)
•Carpelloid elongata- produced by hermophodite plants.
•Pentandria- produced by hermophodite plants.
•Carpelloid pentandria- produced by hermophodite plants.
•Pistillate- produced by female plants.

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Fig. : Papaya male plant with fruits
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Fig. : Papaya female plant with fruits
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Fig. : Papaya hermaphrodite plant with fruits
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Area-1,32,000 Ha Production- 56,67,000 MT Productivity- 42.93 MT
NHB, 2016-17

Major producers:
 Andra pradesh
 Gujarath
 Maharashtra
 Karnataka
 Madhya pradesh

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Nutritional value
 Vitamin A (2020 IU/100g)
 Moisture- 90.8%
 Protein- 0.6%
 Carbohydrates- 7.2%
 Fat- 0.1%
 Potassium- 69mg/100g
 Calcium- 17mg/100g
 Vitamin C- 57mg/100g

Health Benefits of Papaya

•Papaya contain 212 amino acids and several enzymes, including papain, a
proteolytic enzyme that has an anti-inflammatory effect on the stomach,
including swelling and fever that can develop post-surgery.

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 Climate
• It is a tropical fruit plant best grown in warm areas, plenty of sunlight.
•It needs adequate moisture and even distribution of rainfall throughout the
year and cannot withstand strong winds.
• Temperature range of 21oC to 33oC is ideal for sturdy growth.
• It grows well at altitude 1200m MSL.
• Very much sensitive to frost.

Soil
•Papaya grows best in light, well-drained soil rich
in organic matter.
• Deep clayey soils that are prone to water-logging
should be avoided.
•Papaya grows best at pH 6.0 to 6.5 but can tolerate
pH up to 5.8 to 7.0.

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 Varieties
1.Solo: It is a table purpose variety. The fruits are small with deep pink pulp and
a sweet taste. Excellent for kitchen garden.

2. Ranchi: It is a variety from Bihar and popular in south India. The fruitsare
oblong with dark yellow pulp and sweet taste.

3.Pusa Delicious: It is a gynodioecious variety with 100% productive plants

with good fruit yield and quality having excellent taste and good flavor.

4.Pusa Majesty: This is also gynodioecious variety with high productivity and
better keeping quality of fruits. This is also one of the highest papain yielders.

5. Pusa Giant: This is a vigorous variety and is dioecious in nature. The fruits
are suitable for tooty-fruity and candies like petha.

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6. Pusa Nanha- An extremely dwarf variety. It is suitable for kitchen gardens,
pot and roof cultivation. It is developed through mutation breeding.

7. Coorg Honey Dew:A selection from Honey Dew, it is a gynodioecious.

8.Pink Flesh Sweet: It is a selection with excellent-quality fruits. Fruits are

medium sized with pink flesh, The TSS is 12-14° Brix. It is a good dessert
variety.

9.CO-1 (1972): It is developed by sib mating Ranchi type over a period of

eight years. The plants are dwarf in stature and dioecious. There is no papain
in the fruit. It is a good table variety with good keeping quality.

10.CO-2 (1979): It is pureline selection from a local type. A dioecious type

with good Papain yield (4-6g per fruit).

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11.CO-3 (1983): It is a hybrid derivative of the cross between CO-2 (female
parent) and Sunrise Solo (male parent). It is a gynodioecious variety.

12.CO-5 (1985): It is a selection from Washington type. It is a dioecious type

suitable exclusively for papain production giving 14.45g of dry papain per fruit.

13.CO-6 (1986): It is a selection from a giant papaya. The plants are dwarf.
First harvest can be had in 8 months of planting. It is suitable for papain (7.5 to
8.0g of dry papain/fruit) and also for table purpose. Plants are dioecious.

14.CO-7 (1997): This variety (culture CP81) is gynodioecious in nature

developed through multiple crosses. The parents are Pusa Delicious, CO-3, CP.75
and Coorg Honey Dew.

15.Washington: It is a table purpose variety. Male and female plants are

seperate.

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16.Taiwan: This variety is cultivated for table as well as processing purpose.
This is gynodioecious variety with blood-red coloured flesh and good taste.

17.Sunrise solo: This is gynodioecious variety having pink flesh and

good taste. This variety does not has male parents.

18. Pusa Dwarf: It is dwarf statured dioecious variety with good yield.

19.Pusa delicious: Gynodioecious line, heavy yield, fruit very sweet with
good flavour, medium tall plant.

20.Surya: Scientists at IIHR, Bangalore have developed a new hybrid

which is cross between Sunrise Solo and Pink Flesh. It is good for distant
market.

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21. Pink flesh sweet: It is selection with excellent quality fruits with good
dessert quality.

22.CO.4 (1983): It is hybrid derivative of the cross between CO.1 (female

parent) and Washington (male parent). It is dioecious variety.

23. Sun up: red fleshed.

24. Rainbow: Sun up was crossed with yellow fleshed Kapoha to produce
Rainbow and which was the 1st commercial transgenic papaya.

Gynodioecious cultivars:
Pusa delicious, Coorg Honey Dew, Pusa majesty, Taiwan, sunrise solo, Surya,
CO-3, CO-7.

Dioecious cultivars:
Pusa giant, CO-5, Pusa dwarf, CO-6, CO-1, CO-2, Pant 1

devrajrpd@gmail.com 16
 Different varities of papaya

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 Propagation
Sexual Method -propagated by seeds.
• Wash the seeds and remove then gelatinous covering as this can inhibit germination.
•Seed treated with Thiourea (100-200 ppm) and Gibberellic acid (GA3 at 200
ppm) for better germination.
• Seed germinates in 2 weeks.
• Seedlings transplanted after 45-60 days .

Seed rate :
250-300g/h(Gynodioecious) and 400-500g/h(Dioecious) (20 seeds/g).

Asexual method:
• tissue culture technique using MS media supplemented with NAA.
•Shoot tip culture from seedling and laterals buds from female plants of Coorg Honey Dew
variety was successful.

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 Land preparation
• Organic fertilizer and manure should be spread and incorporated in the soil
during land preparation.
• Land should be free from weeds before planting.

Planting density
 1.8 m x 1.8 m = 3086 plants/ha for normally followed in most places.
 1.25 m x 1.25 m = 6400 plants/ha for Pusa Nanha is best for HDP.
 1.6 m x 1.6 m = 3906 plants/ha suitable for papain production.
 A triangular 2 x 2 planting design can be adopted for non mechanized
cultivation, and 2 x 2 x 4 in double rows for mechanized
cultivation.

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 Irrigation
 After transplanting, make sure the plants get adequate water every 2-3 days until they
are well established.
 Water the papaya plants regularly especially when the climate is hot or dry to
 prevent growth retardation, flower abortion and dropping of young fruits.
 We can use method of drip irrigation for efficient use of water.
 Papaya requires 12 gals of water per day.

Manuring and fertiliser application

 The nutrition for papaya differs from other fruit crops because of its quick growth,
continuous fruiting habit and higher yield.
 NPK:: 250:250:500 g/plant, FYM 10 Kg/plant (UHS,Bagalkot).
 Apply 20 g in each of Azospirillum and Phosphobacterium at planting and again after
six months of planting.
 Deficiency of lime,zinc and boron has often been observed in papaya orchards.
Spraying of 0.5% Zinc sulphate and one spray of Borax (0.1%) may be done depending
upon the nutrient status of soil.

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 Weed control
 weeds can reduce by 25% production.
 Deep hoeing is recommended during first year to check weed growth.
 Application of Fluchloralin or Alachlorin or Butachlorine (2kg/ha) as pre-
emergence 2 months after transplanting can control all weeds for 4 months.

Intercropping
• Low-growing vegetables of short duration may be taken as inter-crops.
• An occasional thinning of fruits necessary to prevent overcrowding .
•Papaya also grows as filler or in plantations of other crops where spacing is
wide enough.

Removal of male plants

About 10% of the male plants are kept in the orchards for good pollinationwhere
dioecious varieties are cultivated.

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 Maturity indices
• It is a climacteric fruit, so it should be harvested at mature stage.
•Usually fruits are harvested when they are of full size, light green tinge of
yellow at epical end.
• We should harvest yellow green fruits as dark green fruits are not ripen.
• When the latex ceases to be milky and become watery, the fruits are suitable
for harvesting.

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 Harvesting and yield
 While picking fruits from the tree, care must be taken that they are not
scratched, and are free from blemishes, otherwise these are attacked by
fungus and start decaying during marketing.
 On an average each plant of improved varieties bears 30-45 fruits,
weighing 40-75 kg in one fruiting season.
 Average yield of 60-75 tons/ha may be
expected in a season.

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 STORAGE

•Storage at : 10oC-13o C with Relative humidity 85-

90% for 1-3 weeks with proper handling.
• Ethaphon treatment 1000 ppm increase ripening

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 DISEASES
1. Stem rot / Foot rot:
Cause- It is caused by group of fungi but
Pythium aphanidermatum is mainly
responsible for it.
Symptoms- Rotting of stem near collar region.
Control- Kavach/Rovral (2ml/litre) and
Metalxyl/Mencozeb (2g/litre) as and when
required.

2. Powdery mildew:
Cause- Oidium caricae/ Laveilulla taurica
Symptoms-White mealy growth on leaves,
petioles and young shoots.
Control- Apply wetable sulphur ( 1g/litre )
during September-January.

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3. Anthracnose:
Cause- Colletotrichum gleoesporiodes
Symptoms- Dark brown depressed
spots of chocolate colour.
Control- Apply Carbendazim (1g/litre)
and Mencozeb ( 2g/litre ) 15 days
before harvesting.

4. Damping off:
Cause- Complex of organisms responsible but
mainly Pythium spp.
Symptoms- Causes drooping of seedlings
which ultimately die off.
Control- Treat seeds with Captal ( 2g/kg ).

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5. Leaf curl
Cause- Papaya leaf curl virus ( Vector-White
fly, Bemicia tabbaci )
Symptoms- Curling, crinkling and distortion
of leaves, reduction of leaf lamina, rolling
of leaf margins inward and downward,
thickening of veins.
Control- Uproot affected plants.Avoid
growing tomato, tobacco near papaya.
Spraying with systemic insecticides to
control the vector.

6. Papaya mosaic
Cause- Potex virus (Vector-Aphid).
Symptoms- Plants stunted. Yellowing, mottling &
distortion of leaves, bending of petiole.
Control- Control vector aphid. Remove
affected plant. Spray phosphomidon 3ml in 10
litre water 36

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7. Papaya Ring Spot:
Cause- Papaya ring spot virus ( Vector- Aphid )

Symptoms-Vein clearing, puckering and

chlorophyll leaf tissues lobbing in. Margin and
distal parts of leaves roll downward and
inwards, mosaic mottling, dark green blisters,
leaf distortion which result in shoe string
system and stunting of plants. On fruits circular
concentric rings are produced. If affected earlier
no fruit formation.

Control-Raise papaya seedlings under insect proof

conditions. Plant disease free seedlings.
Raise sorghum / maize as barrier crop before
planting papaya. Rogue out affected plants
immediately on noticing symptom. Do not raise
cucurbits around the field. Select to grow the
tolerant varieties such as Red Lady.

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INSECT- PESTS
1. White fly- Bemicia tabbaci
Symptoms of damage-Nymphs and
adults suck the sap from under
surface of the leaves. Cause
yellowing of leaves.

Control- Installation of yellow

sticky traps. Spraying Imidachloprid
200SL at 0.01% or triazophos 40EC
at0.06% during heavy infestation.
Release of predators viz.,
Coccinellid predator, Cryptolaemus
montrouzieri. Release of
parasitoids viz., Encarsia
haitierrsis and E.guadeloupae.

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2. Fruit flies- Bactrocera dorsalis
Symptoms of damage- Maggots puncture into
semi-ripe fruits with decayed spots. Oozing of
fluid and brownish rotten patches on fruits.
Dropping of fruits.

Control- Monitor the activity of flies with

methyl Eugenol sex lure traps. Spray Malathion
50 EC 2ml/litre.

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3. Ash weevil- Myllocerus spp.
Symptom of damage- Grub feed on the
roots. Wilting of young sapling notching
of leaf margin by adults.

Control- Dust Lindane 1.3 D at 25 kg/ha

to kill grubs. Spray Carbaryl 50 WP at
2g/litre.

4. Aphid- Myzus persicae

Symptom of damage- Nymphs and adults suck
the sap from leaves, petioles and fruits. Leaf
curling and falling. Premature fruit drop.

Control- Spray Dimethoate 0.03% or Methyl

demeton 0.025%.

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5. Mealy bugs-
Symptom of damage- Flatten oval insects
(1-4
mm long). They can transmit a viral
disease known as leaf drop and will cause
a reduced yield.

Control- Spraying Malathion at the rate of

1.5 to 3.0 tbs. per 16 liter knapsack
sprayer.

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 PAPAIN EXTRACTION

• The immature papaya fruit contains a milky latex.

• The dried latex called papain is in great demand in the international markets.

•Papain is used for detecting stomach and intestinal cancers and also in
correcting diphtheria.

•Papain Uses: Proteolytic enzyme extracted from latex, Meat tenderizer,

Cosmetics, Leather industry,Medicinal uses.

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• Papain production is influence by several factors :
1)Fruit size 2. Fruit maturity 3. Season 4. Cultivars (CO-5best) 5. Effect of
PGRs

• The papain content of fruit decrease rapidly as it ripens.

•Papain extracted from the unripe fruit can fetch another Rs.35000 per
hectare.

• Papaya fruits, which arc about 90-100 days old (fully mature but not ripe),
are selected for tapping. Tapping should be done in the morning hours before
10.00 am.

•The latex should be collected in suitable containers (arecanut spathes,

aluminium trays or glass vessels).

• Papain yield: Crude papain from a plant yield 250-300 kg/ha.

devrajrpd@gmail.com 36
M.VISWANTH
CUTM 37