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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Mayaguez, Puerto Rico » Tropical Crops and Germplasm Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #123580
Title: YIELD RESPONSE OF PAPAYA HYBRIDS GROWN ON A TROPICAL OXISOL AND ULTISOL

Author
item Goenaga, Ricardo
item Irizarry, Heber
item Rivera Amador, Edmundo

Submitted to: Journal of Agriculture of the University of Puerto Rico
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/12/2001
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Little is known about the performance of newly available commercial hybrids of papaya grown in diverse agroenvironments in the tropics and subtropics. Depending on soil type and rainfall root rots may induce mortality rates in papaya as high as 40%. Fruit anthracnose, ring spot virus and bunchy-top disease are also limiting factors for commercial production of papaya in many areas. This study was conducted to evaluate yield and fruit quality traits of new commercial hybrids of papaya grown under intensive management at two locations. Hybrid Tainung 3 produced greater number of fruits but these were smaller than that of other hybrids. There were no significant differences in weight of marketable fruit per hectare among hybrids Red Lady, Known You 1, Tainung 1 and Tainung 2 at both locations. Of these, Tainung 1 had the greatest brix (sweetness) value. This study provides useful information to Extension Agents and growers about yield and fruit quality traits of new commercial hybrids of papaya.

Technical Abstract: We evaluated five hybrids and an open-pollinated papaya cultivar grown on an Oxisol and Ultisol under intensive management at Isabela and Corozal, PR. At both locations, hybrid Tainung 3 produced greater number of marketable fruits averaging 133,659 fruits/ha. There were no significant differences in weight of marketable fruit per hectare among hybrids Red Lady, Known You 1, Tainung 1 and Tainung 2 at both locations. The average marketable fruit weight for these hybrids was 134,585 kg/ha at Isabela and 75,256 kg/ha at Corozal. Cultivar PR 6-65 produced significantly larger fruits at both locations whereas hybrid Tainung 3 produced the smallest fruits. Significantly higher brix values were obtained from fruits of hybrid Tainung 3 at both locations whereas lower values were obtained from those of PR 6-65.