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Carica papaya

Authority	L.
Family	Magnoliopsida:Dilleniidae:Violales:Caricaceae
Synonyms	Papaya carica Gaertn.
Common names	arbre de melon, betek, doeum lahong, du du, esi, gedang, houng, kapaya, kates, ketalah, lapaya, lechosa (Ven.), lesi, lhong, loko, loku(Niue), ma kuai thet, malakor, maniako (Simbo), melon tree, minita (Cook I), Olesi (Tuvalu), papaya, papayier, papita, pawpaw, takafo, te papaya (Kiribati), thimbaw, weleti
Editor
Ecocrop code	630

Notes
BRIEF DESCRIPTION A small fast growing erect tree, 3-10 m high and 10-30 cm in diameter, unbranched unless injured. USES The fruit can be consumed as fruit when mature and as vegetable when immature. The latex of the fruit contains papain used as a meat tenderizer and a stabilizing agent for beer. Young leaves are cooked and used as food, fed to hogs, made into cigarettes, or used as mulch. The leaves, roots, seeds, and latex have medicinal properties. Mentioned as a possible agroforestry species. GROWING PERIOD Perennial. Produce fruits about 300-330 days after planting, then bear the year around for 2-3 years. At this stage it is best to remove the trees and replant. Hand pollinated fruits ripen after about 150-240 days. COMMON NAMES Papaya, Papaye, Papaw, Paw paw, Fruta bomba, Lechosa, Kapaya, Lapaya, Papyas, Tapayas. FURTHER INF Papaya is not found wild but it is thought to have originated in southern Mexico and Central America. It can be found between 32°N and S. It can be grown up to 2100 m near the equator, but it is normally grown below 900 m for commercial production. In southern India it is grown between sea level and 1500 m, and in Kenya from sea level to 1200 m. Low temperatures causes smaller fruit size and low quality. Papaya is sensetive to strong winds, hail and blown sand. Humidity should be medium to low. Yields of between 22-56 t/ha of fresh fruit are obtained in Hawaii and yields up to 80 t/ha have been reported. The yields are highest in the second and third year and they then decline rapidly.
Sources
SOURCES (C. papaya L.) Samson J 1986 pp 258-269 [KTMP, TEMP, LIG, RAIN, DRA, FER, PH] Landon J 1984 pp 280 [TEXT, DEP, PH, FER, SAL] Roecklein J 1987 pp 230 [USE] Hartmann T 1981 pp 631-633 [TEMP, KTMP, LIG, TEXT, DRA, PH] Maas E 1990 pp 280 Rehm S 1991 pp 190-192 [KTMP, RAIN, LIMIT] Rice R 1990 pp 98-101 [KTMP, TEXT, DRA] Eswaran H 1986 Williams C 1979 pp 200-203 [TEMP, LIMIT, KTMP, DRA, TEXT] Hackett C 1982 pp 102 [FER, PHO, DEP, PH, TEXT, TEMP] Popenoe W 1974 pp 225 Kernick M 1961 pp 376 Purseglove J 1974 pp 45-51 [KTMP, LIG, DRA, FER, PH] Theakston F 1976 Nair P 1984 pp 24 [RAIN, TEMP, TEXT, DEP, DRA, USE] Nair P 1980 pp 141-144 [RAIN, TEMP, TEXT, FER, DRA, USE] Hensleigh T 1988 pp 84-89 [DEP, DRA, TEXT, PH, SAL, KTMP, TEMP, RAIN, LIG, USE] Verheij E 1991 pp 109-112 [USE, TEMP, KTMP, RAIN, LIMIT, TEXT, DRA, FER, PH]