Cultivation of papaya
CULTIVATION OF PAPAYA .
INTRODUCTION
1--Papaya (Carica papaya) is a tropical fruit having commercial importance because of its high nutritive and medicinal value. Papaya cultivation had its origin in South Mexico and Costa Rica. Total annual world production is estimated at 6 million tonnes of fruits. India leads the world in papaya production with an annual output of about 3 million tonnes. Other leading producers are Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, Indonesia, China, Peru, Thailand and Philippines.
2. OBJECTIVE
The main objective of this report is to present a bankable one acre model for high quality commercial cultivation of the crop. 3. BACKGROUND
3.1 Area & Production
The area under papaya cultivation in India increased by 63% from 45.2 thousand ha. in 1991-92 to 73.7 thousand ha. in 2001-02 and the production increased from 8 lakh tones to 26 lakh tones. Papaya is mostly cultivated in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Orissa, West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. (Vide Table-1)
Table 1 : State-wise Area, Production & Productivity of
papaya during 2001-02
State | Area (‘000 Ha.) | Production (‘000 MT) | Productivity (MT/Ha.) |
Andhra Pradesh | 11.7 | 1173.6 | 100.0 |
West Bengal | 7.2 | 241.9 | 33.5 |
Karnataka | 3.6 | 238.1 | 65.5 |
Orissa | 10.7 | 217.5 | 20.3 |
Gujarat | 4.4 | 175.1 | 39.4 |
Maharashtra | 5.8 | 174.4 | 30.0 |
Assam | 7.5 | 111.8 | 14.8 |
Kerala | 13.2 | 59.7 | 4.5 |
Madhya Pradesh | 0.8 | 39.2 | 49.0 |
Others | 8.6 | 159.1 | - |
TOTAL | 73.7 | 2590.4 | 35.1 |
Source : Database of National Horticulture Board, Ministry of Agriculture ,
Govt. of India.
3.2 Economic Importance
Fruit is a rich source of vitamin A and C. It has a high nutritive and medicinal value. Papain prepared from dried latex of its immature fruits is used in meat tenderizing, manufacture of chewing gum, cosmetics, for degumming natural silk and to give shrink resistance to wool. It is also used in pharmaceutical industries, textile and garment cleaning paper and adhesive manufacture, sewage disposal etc.
4. MARKET ANALYSIS AND STRATEGY
4.1 Demand and Supply patterns
Only 0.08% of domestic production is exported and the rest is consumed within the country. Delhi and Mumbai are the two principal markets. Other major domestic markets are Jaipur, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad. Arrivals are sizeable in the markets of Guwahati, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Patna, Raipur, Baraut and Jammu. The crop arrives in the market around the year in the major States viz. Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa and West Bengal. 4.2 Export trends
India exports Papaya mainly to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, U.A.E., Netherlands etc. The trend in export of papaya from India during the period 1999-2000 to 2001-02 is given in Graph 3.
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4.3 Analysis and Future Strategy
The fruit being perishable in nature poses problem in marketing. Development of infrastructure facilities for transport to primary markets, standardization of packaging techniques are aspects which need special attention. Processing facilities also need to be created in the major producing states for value addition.
5. PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY
5.1 Agro-climatic requirements
Papaya being a tropical fruit grows well in the mild sub-tropical regions of the country upto 1,000 m. above sea level. Night temperature below 120-140C for several hours during winter season affects its growth and production severely. It is very much sensitive to frost, strong winds and water stagnation.
Deep, well drained sandy loam soil is ideal for cultivation of papaya.
5.2 Growing and Potential Belts
The state-wise growing belts are given in the following :
State | Growing belts |
Andhra Pradesh | Cuddapah, Medak, Kurnool, Rangareddy |
Assam | Nagaon, Darrang, Karbi Anglong |
Gujarat | Kheda, Ahmedabad, Jamnagar |
Jharkhand | Simdega, Ranchi, Lohardaga, Hazaribagh, Chatra |
Karnataka | Bellary, Bidar, Bangalore (R& U), Mandya, Shimoga, Chitradurga, Mysore, Belgaum, Hassan |
Maharashtra | Sangli, Satara, Pune, Nasik, Sholapur, Nagpur, Amravati |
Madhya Pradesh | Dhar, Khandwa, Bilaspur, Ratlam, Guna |
West Bengal | North & South 24- Parganas, Hooghly, Nadia, Midnapur |
5.3 Varieties Cultivated
Important papaya varieties cultivated in different states of India are given below :
State | | Varieties grown |
Andhra Pradesh | - | Honey Dew, Coorg Honey Dew, Washington, Solo, Co-1,Co-2, Co-3, Sunrise Solo, Taiwan |
Jharkhand | - | Ranchi selection, Honey Dew, Pusa Delicious & Pusa Nanha |
Karnataka & Kerala | - | Coorg Honey Dew, Coorg Green, Pusa Delicious & Pusa Nanha |
West Bengal | - | Ranchi selection, Honey Dew, Washington, Coorg Green |
Orissa | - | Pusa Delicious, Pusa Nanha, Ranchi selection, Honey Dew, Washington, Coorg Green |
5.4 Land Preparation
A well-drained upland is selected for cultivation. In open and high lying areas plants are exposed to strong winds or storm. Therefore, for proper establishment of papaya plantation, suitable wind break should be planted at the orchard boundary.
5.5 Planting
5.5.1 Planting Material
Papaya is commercially propagated by seed and tissue culture plants. The seed rate is 250-300 g./ha. The seedlings can be raised in nursery beds 3m. long, 1m. wide and 10 cm. high as well as in pots or polythene bags. The seeds after being treated with 0.1% Monosan (phenyl mercuric acetate), ceresan etc. are sown 1 cm. deep in rows 10 cm. apart and covered with fine compost or leaf mould. Light irrigation is provided during the morning hours. The nursery beds are covered with polythene sheets or dry paddy straw to protect the seedlings. About 15-20 cm. tall seedlings are chosen for planting in about two months.
5.5.2 Planting season
Papaya is planted during spring (February-March), monsoon (June-July) and autumn (October-November).
5.5.3 Spacing
A spacing of 1.8 x 1.8 m. is normally followed. However higher density cultivation with spacing of 1.5 x 1.5 m./ha enhances the returns to the farmer and is recommended.
High Density Planting : A closer spacing of 1.2 x 1.2 m. for cv. Pusha Nanha is adopted for high density planting, accommodating 6,400 plants/ha.
5.5.4 Planting Method
The seedlings are planted in pits of 60x60x60 cm. size. In the summer months the pits are dug about a fortnight before planting. The pits are filled with top soil along with 20 kg. of farmyard manure., 1 kg. neem cake and 1 kg. bone meal. Tall and vigorous varieties are planted at greater spacing while medium and dwarf ones at closer spacing.
5.6 Nutrition
Papaya plant needs heavy doses of manures and fertilizers. Apart from the basal dose of manures (@ 10 kg./plant) applied in the pits, 200-250 g. each of N, P2O5 and K2O are recommended for getting high yield. Application of 200 g. N is optimum for fruit yield but papain yield increases with increase in N upto 300 g.
5.6.1 Micronutrients
Micro-nutrients viz. ZnSO4 (0.5%) and H2 BO3(0.1%) are sprayed in order to increase growth and yield characters.
5.7 Irrigation
The irrigation schedule is fixed on the basis of soil type and weather conditions of the region. Protective irrigation is provided in the first year of planting. During the second year, irrigation is provided at fortnightly interval in winter and at an interval of 10 days in summer. Basin system of irrigation is mostly followed. In areas having low rainfall, sprinkler or drip system can be adopted.
5.8 Intercultural Operations
Deep hoeing is recommended during the first year to check weed growth. Weeding should be done on regular basis especially around the plants. Application of Fluchloralin or Alachlorin or Butachlorine (2.0 g./ha.) as pre-emergence herbicide two months after transplanting can effectively control the weeds for a period of four months. Earthing up is done before or after the onset of monsoon to avoid water-logging and also to help the plants to stand erect.
5.9 Inter-cropping
Intercropping leguminous crops after non-leguminous ones, shallow rooted crops after deep rooted ones are beneficial. No intercrops are taken after the onset of flowering stage.
5.10 Removal of male plants
About 10% of the male plants are kept in the orchards for good pollination where dioecious varieties are cultivated. As soon as the plants flower, the extra male plants are uprooted. 5.11 Plant Protection Measures
5.11.1 Insect Pests
The insect pests mostly observed are fruit flies (Bactrocera cucurbitae), ak grasshopper (Poekilocerus pictus), aphids (Aphis gossypii), red spider mite (Tetranychus cinnabarinus), stem borer (Dasyses rugosellus) and grey weevil (Myllocerus viridans). In all cases the infected parts need to be destroyed along with application of prophylactic sprays of Dimethoate (0.3%) or methyl demeton (0.05%). 5.11.2 Diseases
The main diseases reported are powdery mildew (Oidium caricae), anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides), damping off and stem rot. Application of wettable sulphur (1 g./l.) carbendazim/thiophanate methyl (1 g./l.) and Kavach/Mancozeb (2 g./l.) has been found to be effective in controlling the diseases.
5.12 Harvesting and Yield
Fruits are harvested when they are of full size, light green in colour with tinge of yellow at apical end. On ripening, fruits of certain varieties turn yellow while some of them remain green. When the latex ceases to be milky and become watery, the fruits are suitable for harvesting.
The economic life of papaya plant is only 3 to 4 years. The yield varies widely according to variety, soil, climate and management of the orchard. The yield of 75-100 tonnes /ha. is obtained in a season from a papaya orchard depending on spacing and cultural practices.
6. POST HARVEST MANAGEMENT
6.1 Grading
Fruits are graded on the basis of their weight, size and colour.
6.2 Storage
Fruits are highly perishable in nature. They can be stored for a period of 1-3 weeks at a temperature of 10-130 C and 85-90% relative humidity.
6.3 Packing
Bamboo baskets with banana leaves as lining material are used for carrying the produce from farm to local market.
6.4 Transportation
Road transport by trucks/lorries is the most convenient mode of transport due to easy approach from orchards to the market.
6.5 Marketing
The farmers usually dispose off their produce to the wholesalers and middlemen at the farm gate
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