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- Author or Editor: J.A. Kowalski x
- HortScience x
Demand for locally produced papaya fruit (Carica papaya) far outweighs the supply in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Due to the high incidence of papaya ringspot virus (PRSV), papayas are grown as an annual crop. The need exists in the Virgin Islands for papayas with early production to ensure a marketable crop before being devastated by PRSV. Breeding and selection has been ongoing for 5 years to develop papayas with tolerance to PRSV and fruit production starting at or less than 60 cm from the ground. The height at first fruit set, of 15 papaya cultivars recommended for the Virgin Islands, ranges from 58 cm to 253 cm. Generally, female plants started setting fruit lower on the stem than hermaphroditic plants. Through breeding and selection, three papaya lines have been developed that set the first fruit between 40 and 60 cm from the ground and exhibit tolerance to PRSV. These low-bearing papaya lines produce fruit that are marketable 1 month earlier than other cultivars.
Four tropical leaf vegetables commonly used as pot herbs for “kallaloo,” a local West Indian dish, were grown in replicated plots during the fall season of 1996 to determine growth and productivity. Leaf vegetables included green malabar spinach (Basella alba L.), red malabar spinach (Basella rubra L.), sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.), and bush okra or jute mallow (Corchorus olitorius L.). Plants were harvested periodically and data on number of stems or vines, fresh weight of stems and leaves, leaf area, and leaf area index (LAI) were recorded. Except for leaf fresh weight, cultivars or species did not differ significantly in all parameters measured. Leaf fresh weight ranged from 27 g for jute mallow to 198 g for red malabar spinach. LAI was highest for sweetpotato (2.90) and lowest for jute mallow (0.86). Among the species, productivity (fresh weight) was highest (6.78 g/m2 per day) for green malabar spinach and lowest (3.22 g/m2 per day) for jute mallow.
Using fish culture waste water may benefit vegetable production by reducing the need for high quality irrigation water. Fish waste water also contains nutrients, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers. A study was conducted to integrate fish (tilapia) culture with field production of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). Waste water from low and high fish stocking densities and variable water exchange rates were applied to bell peppers 2 to 3 times weekly. These treatments were compared with fish sludge. cow manure and commercial N fertilizer. Fish waste water and sludge were applied by hand in the first year. A modified irrigation system was used in the second year. All other treatments were drip irrigated. In 1992 marketable yield was highest (9.0 t/ha) in plots with N fertilizer (drip fertigation) followed by plots applied with sludge (5.0 c/ha). Lowest yield (2.0 t/ha) was obtained from plots applied with fish waste water. In 1993 plots applied with fish waste water had a slightly higher yield (7.0 t/ha) than N-fertigated plots. Marketable yield was highest (10.4 t/ha) in plots treated with sludge.