Papaya or Papita popular fruit is native of Mexico. It is nutritive also possess medicinal property. Papaya is rich source of Vitamin A and C. It is excellent for skin, its antioxidants help in controlling premature ageing, also useful in lowering blood cholesterol. Along with fruit, leaves also used in herbal products. Leaves are used in dengue fever treatment. India is leading producer of Papaya. Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Orissa, Gujarat, Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh are major Papaya growing states.    

It gives best result on well drained sandy loam soils and medium black soils. Waterlogged soils are unfit for its cultivation. It can grow successfully on soils having pH ranges from 6.5 to 7.

Barwani Red: The fruits of this variety has an average weight of 1.5-2kg.

Washington: Plant is vital and long. This variety has deep purple color flowers and medium to large size fruits which are egg shaped. Flesh is yellow-red in color and very sweet in taste. Seeds are less in number and has good storage quality.
 
Philippines: It has medium sized fruits which are round to cylindrical in shape, yellow-green in color. Flesh is orange, soft and juicy and has good storage quality. The fruit contains high amount of papain.

Singapore Pink: It has pink color flesh. The fruit is cylindrical in shape. The variety is suitable for producing green color fruits and it bear fruits in spring season. It gives very low yield.
 
Sunrise Solo: The fruit has an average weight of 425-620gm. The fruits are shining, pear shaped, and orange in color taking reddishness.

Pant Papaya 1: It is vital and dwarf variety. The plant attains the height of 125-135cm in first year. Fruits are cylindrical in shape, medium in size (1-1.5kg) and of good quality.

Pant Papaya 3: It is medium height plant (225-250cm). Fruits are small to medium in weight (0.5-0.9kg). The variety bears 45-50 fruits per tree.

Pusa joint: It produces big sized fruits (1.2-1.3kg). The plant attains the height of 220cm. Fruits are cylindrical in shape and flesh is orange in color. Flesh contains total 7-8.5o brix soluble content. It gives an average weight of 32kg/tree.

Pusa Majestic: The plant is medium in size and attains the height of 172cm. Fruits are medium to big sized (1-2.5kg), cylindrical. Flesh is 3.5cm thick and contains 9o brix total soluble content. Fruits have good storage quality. It gives an average yield of 38kg/plant.

Pusa Dwarf: The variety is dwarf. Fruits are egg shaped, round and medium in shape. The plant attains the height of 135cm and gives an average yield of 35kg/plant.

Pusa Delicious: The variety attains the height of 196cm. fruits are medium to large in size which are 1-2 kg in weight and is round to cylindrical in shape. Fruits are juicy and deep orange in color, it gives an average yield of 41kg/plant.

For Papaya cultivation, make land weed free. Plough land and bring soil to fine tilth. At time last ploughing add farm yard manure or well decomposed cow dung and mix well in soil. Dug pit of “1mx1mx1m” at recommended spacing. Fill pits with top soil and Farm Yard Manure or well decomposed cow dung. Depending upon variety used, transplant 2-4 seedlings in each pit. After planting provide light irrigation. To protect from wind provide staking.

Seed Rate
For seed rate of 104gm per acre.

Time of sowing
In low rainfall areas, sowing should be done in June-July month and in Tarai and high rainfall areas sowing should be done in September month and areas where irrigation facility is available sowing is done in February-March month.

Spacing
Generally spacing of 1.8mx1.8m is used. In case of high density planting, spacing of 1.5mx1.5m gives good return.
 
Sowing Depth
In nursery sow seeds at depth of 10cm.

Method of sowing
Direct sowing of seeds or transplanting of seedlings in main field.

Sow seeds in polythene bags of "25X10cm" having thickness of 150gauge. Make hole of 1mm diameter on lower part of polythene bag for proper drainage of water. Then fill Polythene bags with equal proportions of FYM, soil and sand. Before sowing do seed treatment. For transplantation, six - seven week old seedlings are used.  

Fertilizer requirements (gm/tree/year)

Weed control is necessary during young stage of plant. Depending upon weed intensity, do frequent and light weeding operation. Apply Fluchloralin or Butachlor@ 0.8kg/acre. Mulching is also effective way of controlling weeds. Apply plastic film or straw of rice or sugarcane as mulch few days after transplanting of seedlings.

• Pest and their control

Aphid: They suck the sap of the plant. Aphids help in spreading disease in plants. 

• Disease and their control:

Powdery Mildew: During initial stage of infestation, do dusting of Sulphur@30gm/10Ltrs of water or take spray of Calixin 75EC@5ml/10Ltr of water. If required, take second spray at interval of 15 days.

Papaya Mosaic: Remove affected plants. Apply Carbofuran@0.4kg/acre at time of sowing. Take four to five spray of Dimethoate@5gm/10Ltr of water or Metasystox@2gm/10Ltr at interval of 10-15 days.

Stem rot: Water like wet spots are seen on plant stem. The symptoms get spread on all sides of the plant. Plant leaves fall apart before it is fully developed. 

Root rot or wilt: The disease causes rotting of roots which ultimately result in plant wilting. 

Harvesting is mainly done when fruit attains the full size and is light green in colour with a tinge of yellow at apical end. Depending upon variety use, fruit are ready for harvesting 10-11 months of planting. 4-5 harvestings can be done per season. Harvesting is done manually by picking individual fruits by hand. Harvest fruit in morning.

After harvesting carryout washing, grading of fruits. Wash fruits with water. Grading of fruit is carryout depending upon size, colour etc. After harvesting, depending upon room temperature, fruits ripe within 5-6 days. At 0^oC fruits can be stored for more than 4-5 weeks. For ripening, individual fruits are wrapped in newspaper.