Papaya Cultivation
An organic approach to papaya farming
The Papaya (Carica papaya), also called papaw or pawpaw, is a succulent fruit-bearing tree belonging to family Caricaceae. This herbaceous plant, bearing palmately-lobed leaves, is dioecious, i.e. male and female flowers are produced on separate plants. There is also the hermaphroditic type, which bears flowers and self-pollinates in the same plant. Generally, the papaya fruit is melon-like, shaped round or oval, and may contain more than 1000 seeds.
Soil preparation
Papaya grows well in well-drained, rich, sandy loam soils with a depth of 45cm, or medium-black soils free from water logging. Light soils with pH in the range of 6.5–7 are very good for papaya. Before transplantation, it is important to improve the soil fertility level, for which green manures serve the purpose to a great extent.
Sunhemp (20 kg per acre) or Sesbania (20 kg per acre) can be sown and incorporated into the soil at its flowering stage, i.e. around 45 days after sowing, when the nitrogen fixation is at its maximum. It takes about 10–15 days for decomposition.
The Dabholkar method of green manuring can also be followed, in which 20–25 kg of mixed seeds from five categories (cereals, pulses, oilseeds, legumes, spices) are sown, and incorporated after 40–45 days after sowing, i.e., the entire biomass should be incorporated into the soil. This way, the top soil gets replenished with all micro, macro nutrients and minerals in the form of humus. It is essential to maintain enough soil moisture to facilitate good growth and decomposition of green manure crops.
Sowing and transplanting papaya seedlings
Gather the papaya seeds in late summer or early autumn after the fruits dry. Wait until the fruit splits open to reveal the large, reddish-orange seed capsules. Collect the seeds and shade dry. Sow two seeds per bag, and seeds start germinating in 30 days. Remove the smaller of the two seedlings if both germinate successfully. Snip off the unwanted seedling at soil-level using small shears or carefully pull it up. When the seedlings reach a height of about 15–20 cm (6–9 inches), they may be transplanted into pits of 60 cm (2 ft) diameter after about two months, at the beginning of rains or earlier, depending on irrigation facilities.
At the time of selecting papaya saplings for transplantation, pick disease-free and healthy saplings (one month old). The site of the pit should be at least 2 ft x 2ft, and saplings are to be planted such that water doesn’t stagnate around the pit.
Papaya tree nutrient management - Papaya input application schedule
| Duration | 15–30 Days | Month 2 | Month 3 | Month 5 | Month 6 | Month 8 | Month 9 | Month 11 | Month 12 | Month 15 | Month 18 | Month 20 | Month 22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product Dosage | Valarchi | Induce 1.5 ml/lt | Valarchi 100 gm | Energion 1.5 ml/lt | Valarchi 200 gm | Aatral 5 gm/lt | Valarchi 200 gm | Energion 1.5 ml/lt | Valarchi 200 gm | Valarchi 100 gm | Aatral 5 gm/lt | Valarchi 100 gm | Energion 1.5 ml/lt |
| Prod | Mode of Application | Dose | Quantity per acre | Product Information | Product role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valarchi | Basal application | 1 kg / plant at 7 split-up | 1000 kg (approximate) | Vriksha-Ayurveda-based powder formulation with organically derived macro and micro nutrients blended with plant-derived active ingredients | Steady and slow release of nutrients, strengthens soil microbiome and boosts overall health of the plant |
| Induce | Foliar spray – once | 1.5ml/lt | 250 ml | Liquid formulation with amino acid chelated micronutrients (Zn, Mg) and macronutrients (N,P,K,S) | Rapid establishment and healthy early stage plant growth with enhanced photosynthetic ability |
| Energion | Foliar spray – thrice | 1.5ml/lt | 250ml | Seaweed-based liquid formulation with amino acid and plant derived polysulphides | Prevents premature flowering, fruit drop, improves strong flower stalk formation and size of fruit, and quality of final produce |
| Aatral | Foliar spray – twice | 4ml/lt | 1 kg | Vriksha-Ayurveda-based powder formulation with plant-derived organic ingredients along with chelated micronutrients | Corrects hidden nutrient deficiencies and has prophylactic action against biotic stress |
Papaya plant maintenance
Pest management & preventive methods
01
Nematode Management
Use resistant/tolerant papaya varieties. Sowing should be completed within recommended periods.
02
Nematode Management
Marigolds can be used as a trap crop as they produce a substance called alpha-terthienyl, which can aid in the reduction of root-knot nematodes, lesion nematodes, pratylenchus, and other disease-promoting organisms such as fungi, bacteria, and insects.
03
Nematode Management
Apply any one of mahua, castor, neem, or karanja cakes, along with FYM enriched with Pochoniachlamydosporia and Paecilomyceslilacinus before sowing.
04
Sucking pest management (aphids, whitefly, mealybug)
Sucking pest management (aphids, whitefly, mealybug) – On noticing initial incidences, spray Tricit at the rate of 4 ml per liter of water. If the incidence level is higher, use a slightly higher dosage and follow frequent spraying once every 7–10 days for maximum control.
05
Preventive measures for virus control
Spray sour butter milk of about 500 ml per liter of water, or cow urine 10 ml per liter of water in 5-7 day intervals. Good field sanitation such as removal and destruction of affected plants reduce spread of the disease. The loss can also be minimized by controlling the sucking pest population. Avoid mixed cropping of tobacco, chili, zinnia, tomato, gooseberry or petunia in the papaya field or nearby.
06
On farm management for mealy bug
To control mealybug infestation, use white atta of about 250 gm per liter of water, mix well and make a paste, and apply/spray over infected plants. Another option is to mix 100 gm of jaggery per liter of water and spray on the infected area to attract ants.
Papaya farming best practices - DOs
- Deep plowing is to be done on bright, sunny days during the months of May and June. The field should be kept exposed to sunlight for at least 2–3 weeks.
- Grow only recommended varieties.
- Sow early in the season.
- Always treat the seeds with approved chemicals / bio-products to control seed-borne diseases/pests.
- Adopt proper spacing in the field (it also minimizes the pest and disease spread).
- Maintain optimum and healthy crop stand that is capable of competing with weeds at a critical stage of crop-weed competition.
- Install yellow sticky trap (for white fly and thrips), blue trap pheromone (for spodoptera), and light trap (for caterpillars) at the appropriate period. On noticing initial incidences of pests, spray Tricit at the rate of 4ml per liter of water to avoid further spread.
Papaya farming best practices - Don'ts
- Do not plant or irrigate the field immediately after plowing (at least for 2–3 weeks), to allow desiccation of weeds bulbs and/or rhizomes of perennial weeds.
- Do not grow varieties that are unsuitable for the season or region.
- Avoid late sowing as this may lead to reduced yield and incidence of pests.
- Do not use seeds without seed treatment with biocides/chemicals.
- Do not damage the seedling while uprooting and transplanting.
- Crops should not be exposed to moisture-deficit stress at their critical growth stages.
- Do not store the pheromone lures at high temperatures, and preferably store them in the refrigerator.
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