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- Author or Editor: T. 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.