Papaya (Carica papaya) is a tropical fruit, ideal for growing in kitchen gardens. Papaya is a rich source of nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin A, minerals, and potassium. According to the Second Advance Estimate of the year 2020-21, the total area under papaya cultivation in India is about 1.48 lakh ha while total production is estimated to be about 5.88 million tonnes. In India, papaya is grown in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The crop is generally easy to grow and maintain, high yielding, longer fruiting period and it can provide a good income for farmers. Get a full understanding of papaya cultivation and managing pests and diseases through this detailed article.   Papaya plants are woody tree-like plants that grow fast. The fruit is generally oval or pear-shaped and its flesh is juicy, sweet, and fragrant. The papaya tree is a fast-growing plant that can reach up to 10 meters in height. Papaya plants have separate male and female flowers that grow on different plants, a characteristic known as dioecious. They are highly dependent on pollination by insects to produce fruits. Some papaya types are hermaphrodites that produce both male and female flowers on the same plants which can self-pollinate. These hermaphrodite papaya types are more popularly used in commercial production.  Soil Requirement for Papaya Farming A well-drained sandy loam soil with adequate organic matter is ideal for papaya cultivation. Soil pH can range from 6 to 6.5. Papaya plants have shallow roots and are highly sensitive to water logging. In the areas receiving heavy rainfall, if the drainage is poor, it may even cause the death of plants due to continuous drenching for 24 to 48 hours. Highly fertile soil with good drainage is more desirable for papaya cultivation.  Climate Requirement for Papaya Farming Papaya is a tropical fruit that can grow well in warm and humid climates. It is highly susceptible to frost. The ideal temperature for papaya growth is 25 – 30°C. During winter, the night temperature below 12°C may severely affect the plant growth. Temperature below 10°C may inhibit plant growth, maturity, and ripening of fruits. A dry climate may induce sterility during flowering, but it contributes to adding sweetness to fruits during fruit maturity. It can grow in full sun but should be protected from wind and cold weather. Windbreaks can help to protect the plants from strong winds.  Buy the Best Varieties of Papaya Seeds in India Papaya Varieties/Hybrid  Specifications  Red Lady Papaya Seeds Brand: Known You Seed  Tolerant to papaya ringspot virus  Fruit weight ranges from 1.5 – 2 kg  Bears fruit at 60-80 cm height  Produces over 30 fruits/plant in each fruit-setting season  Fruit flesh is thick, and red with a 13% sugar content  IRIS Hybrid Papaya Seeds  Brand: IRIS hybrid seeds  Suitable for all seasons   Harvest time: 35 – 40 weeks  Suitable for Home/Kitchen Garden  URJA Madhuri Papaya Seeds  Brand: URJA seeds  Soft and sweet fruit flesh  On maturity, it turns to a bright reddish-orange color  Average fruit weight ranges from 1.5 to 2.0 kg  IRIS RC-315 Papaya Seeds  Brand: IRIS hybrid seeds  Tall and vigorous type  The fruit shape is oval  Fruit weight: 1.5 – 2 kg  Fruit maturity: 8 – 10 months  Yellow colour fruit flesh  TSS: 13 brix  Sarpan Solo-109 Hybrid Papaya Seeds    Brand: Sarpan Seeds  Fruit flesh is dark orange in color  The plant bears 120-150 fruits per plant per year  Harvest: 7-8 months after planting    Gynodioecious plants & every plant bear fruit  IRIS Hybrid Fruit Seeds Papaya RC-217  Brand: IRIS hybrid seeds  Medium tall and vigorous type  The fruit shape is round  Fruit weight: 2 – 2.5 kg  Fruit maturity: 9 – 10 months  Colour fruit flesh  TSS: 13 brix  Rise Agro Indus Honey Gold F1 Hybrid Papaya seeds  Brand: Indus seeds  The fruit is reddish-orange in colour  Fruit weight (kg): 2 – 2.5 kg  Fruit maturity: 9 months after transplanting  Suitable for long-distance shipping  Tolerant to papaya ringspot virus    Seed rate of Papaya Varieties: 200 gm/acre; Hybrid: 100 gm/acre  Propagation  Papaya is generally propagated through seeds. Fresh seeds from fully ripe fruits can be used. Papaya seeds may lose viability very quickly within 45 –60 days. To facilitate good germination, remove the mucilaginous coating of the seeds by rubbing them with wood ash. The seeds can be washed off and dried in the sun before use.   Papaya Seed treatment  Treat the seeds with Gibberellic acid at 1.25 ml/lit water to overcome dormancy and cause rapid seed germination and Bio fungicide at 10 ml/kg seeds or Carbendazim 50% WP at 0.5 – 0.8 gm/lit water to control fungal diseases like damping off, collar rot and stem rot.   Nursery  The seedlings can be raised in nursery beds or polythene bags.  Nursery beds: Raised beds 3 m long, 1 m wide, and 10 cm high can be prepared. The treated seeds should be sown 1 cm deep in rows, 10 cm apart, and covered with fine compost. Light watering is to be done in the morning hours. Cover the beds with polythene sheets or paddy straw to protect the nursery from adverse conditions.  Polythene bags: Polythene bags of 20 cm height and 15 cm diameter, 150 to 200 gauge can be used for raising seedlings. The bags should be filled with a 1:1:1 ratio of topsoil, FYM, and sand. Then, dibble 4 seeds per bag at 1 cm depth. These polythene bags should be kept in partial shade. Watering can be done using a rose can.  Planting Time of Papaya in India June – September is the ideal season for planting papaya. But in Northeast areas, papaya can be planted from February to March to escape frost damage at fruiting time. Avoid planting during the rainy season.   Planting  The seedlings will be ready for transplanting in about 45-60 days. In a well-prepared field, pits of 45 x 45 x 45 cm sizes are to be made within the required distance. It should be filled with topsoil along with 20 kg of FYM and 1 kg of neem cake.   In the case of Dioecious varieties, plant 1 male plant for every 12 – 15 female plants for pollination purposes.   In the case of the Gynodioecious variety, plant one seedling per pit.   Give light irrigation after transplanting.  Spacing  Planting distance varies from variety to variety. Tall and vigorous varieties are planted at more spacing while dwarf or medium varieties are planted at closer spacing. Generally, 1.8 x 1.8 m of spacing is followed. However, for high-density planting, a spacing of 1.25 x 1.25 m is recommended which can accommodate 2590 plants/acre.  Fertilizer Requirement For Papaya Farming The general NPK recommendation is 200:200:400 gm/plant/year  Note: Top dressing of NPK fertilizers should be done at an interval of 60 days during the vegetative and flowering stages as mentioned in the table. Apply fertilizers in a trench 20 – 30 cm away from the stem around the tree, then fill the soil.   Nutrient  Fertilizer  Dosage  Time of application  Organic  FYM  10 kg/plant  Basal  Neem cake  1 kg/plant  Basal  N  Urea  108 gm/plant  1st month after planting  108 gm/plant  3rd month after planting  108 gm/plant   Mid of 4th month after planting  108 gm/plant  6th month after planting  P  Single Super Phosphate (SSP)  626 gm/plant  At the time of planting  626 gm/plant  3rd month after planting  K  Muriate of Potash (MOP)  250 gm/plant  At the time of planting  250 gm/plant  3rd month after planting  167 gm/plant  6th month after planting  Zn  Anand Agro Insta Cheal Zn 12% Micronutrient  Foliar: 0.5 – 1 gm/lit water  1st spray: 4th month after planting  2nd spray: 8th month after planting    B  Linnfield Boron 20% Micronutrient  Foliar: 0.3 gm/lit water    Papaya Irrigation Best Practices Adequate irrigation is necessary to prevent drought and frost attacks. However waterlogging conditions should be avoided. Protective irrigation should be given to young papaya seedlings in the first year of planting. In the second year, irrigate the plants at 7 days intervals during summer and 10 to 15 days intervals during winter season, if there is no incidence of rain. During the summer season, maintain adequate soil moisture to avoid flower and fruit drops. Ring method, basin method, or drip irrigation are different types of irrigation methods for papaya. In the case of Ring and Basin methods of irrigation, we have to ensure that water doesn’t come in contact with the plant base.  Papaya Intercultural Operations  Weeding In the first year, deep hoeing should be done to check the weed growth. Weeding should be done regularly, especially around the plants. Controlling weeds within 3 – 4 feet of the papaya plant is important for optimum plant growth and fruiting. Organic mulching using straw is highly recommended for weed control and soil moisture conservation.  Earthing up   Earthing up can be done before or after the onset of monsoon to prevent water logging conditions in the field and also to help plants stand erect. It can be after the 4th, 6th, and 8th months after planting the papaya seedlings.  Roguing of male plants  In dioecious papaya variety cultivation, only 10% of male plants in the orchard ensure good pollination. After flowering, rogue out the extra male plants.   Staking  To prevent the plants from lodging due to heavy wind or over-bearing of fruits, bamboo sticks or other sticks are used to provide support.   Fruit thinning  When 2 – 3 fruits occur in the same pedicel, keep only one healthy fruit to ensure proper development. Carefully remove the extra fruits from the pedicel.   Papaya Crop Protection Practices  Pests infesting papaya plants, damage symptoms, and its control measures: Pests  Damage symptoms  Control Measures  Green peach aphids  They suck sap from leaves and cause leaf curling and distortion  Causes premature drop of fruits  Vector for papaya ringspot virus  Remove and destroy damaged parts of the plant  Use Tapas yellow sticky trap at 4 – 6 per acre  Spray Neem 0.3% at 2.5 – 3 ml/lit water  Chemical control:  Benevia Insecticide at 1.5 – 2 ml/lit water  Anant Insecticide at 0.3 – 0.5 gm/lit water  Whitefly  Yellowing, downward curling, and crinkling of leaves (vector for papaya leaf curl virus)  Causes shedding of leaves  Sooty mold development on leaf surface due to honeydew secretion  Removal of alternate hosts, maintain field sanitation  Use Tapas yellow sticky trap at 4 – 6 per acre  Spray Neem oil at 1 – 2 ml/lit water  Chemical control:  Tatamida SL Insecticide at 1 – 2 ml/lit water  Police Insecticide at 0.2 – 0.6 gm/lit water    Red spider mite  The presence of white or yellowish speckles on the leaf  Webbing of affected leaf surface  Causes scaring on fruits  Spray Bio-acaricide at 1 – 2 ml/liter water  Chemical control:  Oberon Insecticide at 0.3 ml/lit water  Meothrin Insecticide at 0.5 ml/lit water  Root-knot nematode  Yellowing and shedding of leaves  Premature drop of affected fruits  Presence of galls on roots  Select seedlings without root galls for transplanting  Follow crop rotation   Mahua cakes can be applied to control nematodes  Mix well-decomposed compost with 2 kg of Multiplex safe root and broadcast in the field  Chemical control:  Velum prime nematicide at 1.3 – 1.5 ml/lit water  Drench PerfoNemat at 2ml/lit water  Fruit fly  Larvae feed on the internal portion of semi-ripe fruits by puncturing    Presence of decayed patches and oozing of fluids on affected fruits  Infected fruits turn yellow and fall prematurely  Dispose of the dropped-infested fruits  Summer plowing to destroy pupa  Use tapas fruit fly trap at 6 – 8 per acre  Chemical control:  Alika Insecticide at 0.5 ml/lit water  BACF Endtask Insecticide at 0.5 gm/lit water  Mealybug  Presence of white cottony masses on leaf, stem, branches, and fruits  Infected portions become shiny and sticky due to honeydew secretion which causes sooty mold development  Uproot the infested plants, keep the field weed-free  Spray solution of Sarvodaya soap to control mealy bugs  Spray Anand Dr. Bacto’s Vertigo Insecticide at 2.5 ml/lit water or Kaybee Mealy Raze (Bio Pesticide) at 2 ml/lit water  Chemical control:  Actara Insecticide at 0.5 gm/lit water  Starthene Insecticide at 1.8 – 2.5 gm/lit water    (Note: Please check the product’s description before application to know the right time of application)  Diseases affecting the papaya plant, damage symptoms, and its control measures: Diseases  Damage symptoms  Control Measures  Damping off   It is mostly common in nursery beds and causes the death of seedlings  The stem may start to rot at the soil line  Infected seedlings may start to wi  Treat 1 kg seeds with 10 gm of Pseudomonas fluorescens mixed in 10 ml of water  Chemical control:  Spray Tata Master Fungicide or Matco Fungicide at 1.5 – 2.5 gm/lit water  Spray Hifield Ridomet 35 Fungicide at 1.5 gm/lit water  Powdery mildew   White or grayish powdery growth on the upper leaf surface, flower stalk, and fruits  Severely infected leaves turn yellow or brown, curl, dry up, droop, and fall off  Spray Pseudomonas fluorescence at 2.5 ml/lit water  Spray fermented buttermilk (1:3 ratio of buttermilk & water) twice or thrice with 10 days interval  Chemical control:  Spray Roko fungicide at 0.5 gm/lit water  Spray Contaf plus fungicide at 2 ml/lit water  Anthracnose   Affects leaves, flowers, and fruits resulting in drop-off  Small, black, or brown circular spots appear on leaves  Infected fruits may develop dark, sunken lesions later covered with pinkish, slimy spore mass  Withering and defoliation of leaves  Spray Geolife recover nutri fungicide at 0.5 – 1 gm/lit water  Chemical control:  Spray Bavistin at 0.6 gm/lit water  Spray Dhanuka M45 at 3 – 4 gm/lit water    Collar rot and stem rot  Sunken, water-soaked lesions appear on the base of the stem or around the collar region  Stem may become soft and mushy due to the rotting of the internal tissues  Infected area may turn dark brown or black and rot  Yellowing of leaves, stunted growth  Apply 5 kg Pseudomonas fluorescence & Bacillus subtilis mixed with 100 kg FYM in the soil  Chemical control:  Seed treatment with SAAF Fungicide at 2.5 gm/lit water  Drench the soil with Blitox Fungicide at 3 gm/lit water  Papaya ringspot virus  Vector: Aphids  Transmission: Sap, grafts  Downward and inward curling of leaf margin, leaf distortion  Mosaic pattern of light and dark green areas on leaves  The presence of concentric circular rings on the fruit surface  Do not grow cucurbits around papaya field  Plant sorghum or maize as a barrier crop  Spray Geolife no virus at 3 – 5 ml/lit water or   Spray VC 100 at 5 gm/lit water or   Spray Terra virokill at 3.3. ml/lit water  To control vector aphids, look the measures mentioned in the above table  Papaya leaf curl  Vector: Whitefly  Curling and crinkling of leaves  Downward and inward curling of leaf margin  Affected leaves become brittle, leathery, and distorted  Do not grow tomato, or tobacco plants near the field  Spray V-Bind Bio viricide at 2 – 3 ml/lit water   Spray 2.5 ml/lit water of Multiplex General liquid Micronutrient which help to develop resistance to the disease   To control vector whitefly, look at the measures mentioned in the above table    Alternaria Leaf Spot  Small, circular, or irregular brown spots with concentric rings surrounded by a yellow halo on the affected leaves  Defoliation of affected leaves  Circular to oval black lesions on the fruit surface   Spray Sun Bio Monus at 5 ml/lit water  Chemical control:  Spray Indofil Z78 fungicide at 2 – 2.5 gm/lit water  Spray Kavach at 1 – 2 gm/lit water  (Note: Please check the product’s description before application to know the right time of application)  Harvesting  The economic life span of papaya trees is 3-4 years. Harvesting of papaya too early or too late might increase the risk of postharvest physiological disorders. The papaya tree starts flowering and sets fruits in about 6 – 7 months. The fruits become ready for harvesting in 10 – 11 months from planting. Fruit ripening is indicated by the change in fruit color from green to yellowish green. Harvesting should be done by hand using sharp knives.  Harvesting indices:   Fruit colour changes from dark green to light green with a slight tinge of yellow at the apical end  Fruits can be harvested when the latex of the fruit becomes watery   Average Yield Average yield per plant: 30 – 50 kg  Average yield per acre: 12 – 16 tons (1st year); 6 – 8 tons (2nd year)  Extraction of Papain  Papain is a proteolytic enzyme that is commonly extracted from papaya fruit and widely used in the meat, pharmaceutical, food, textile, and cosmetic industries. Here are the steps involved in the extraction of papain from papaya:  For papain extraction, tapping of latex is done in mature fruits which are 70 – 90 days old from the fruit set.  It should be done early in the morning before 10:00 am.  Using a razor blade or sharp pointed bamboo stick, give four equally spaced longitudinal cuts/incisions from the stalk to the fruit tip. The depth of the cut should not be > 3mm.   Tapping should be repeated on the same fruit four times at an interval of 3 – 4 days. Cuts should be made on places of fruit surface not covered previously.   Collect the latex from the fruits in an aluminum tray and shade-dry it. Drying can also be done rapidly using an oven at 45 – 50°C temperature.  Filter them using sieve mesh and then add 0.05% potassium meta bisulphite (KMS) to the latex to get better color and keep quality.  Dried latex is powdered, sieved through the mesh, packed in polythene bags, and sealed.