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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.
Abstract
Plants of Petunia hybrida ‘Coral Sea’ were placed in postproduction conditions of low (300 µE m−2s−1), medium (600 µE m−2s−1) or high (900 µE m−2s−1) quantum flux density (QFD) at temperatures of 10, 20, or 30°C after first flower opening. Change in dry weight and number of senesced flowers were determined, and visual quality ratings were given. Plants kept at 20° and 30° had greatest dry weight accumulation and flower number but poorest visual rating at 10 days when kept under high QFD, compared with those kept under medium or low QFD. When plants were kept at 10°, QFD was of little importance to postproduction quality. All plants delined in visual quality by 15 days when kept at 20 or 30° but remained satisfactory when kept at 10°. Plants should be held at either medium or low QFD when placed at 20° or 30° postproduction temperature.
Abstract
‘Coral Sea’ petunia plants were irrigated at “low” frequency (surface media dry, soil moisture = −4 to −10 bars), “normal” frequency (surface media moist, soil moisture = −0.8 to −3 bars) or “high” frequency (surface media wet, soil moisture > −0.6 bars) during production. Postproduction quality was evaluated under cool (10°C day, 10° night), moderate (20° day, 20° night), or hot (30° day, 20° night) temperature postproduction environments. Frequency of irrigation was not significant when plants were placed in cool postproduction environments. In moderate or hot postproduction conditions, plants irrigated with high frequency declined in quality most rapidly. Low moisture-treated plants had slower flower development and senescence, greater dry weight, and better overall visual quality than plants with other moisture treatments.