Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-ph5wq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-19T05:59:04.929Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

THE WATER RELATIONS AND IRRIGATION REQUIREMENTS OF PAPAYA (CARICA PAPAYA L.): A REVIEW

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 June 2013

M. K. V. CARR*
Affiliation:
Emeritus Professor, School of Applied Sciences, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL, UK
*
Corresponding author. Email: mikecarr@cwms.org.uk. Contact address: Pear Tree Cottage, Frog Lane, Ilmington, Shipston on Stour, Warwickshire CV36 4LQ, UK.

Summary

Papaya has never been found in the wild, but is believed to have originated in tropical America from where it has spread throughout the tropics and subtropics. This fruit crop is particularly important in India and Brazil. Most research on the water relations of papaya has been undertaken in Brazil and on the island of Guam (United States of America). Papaya is a short-lived large herb, growing to a height of up to 10 m. Leaves emerge from the upper part of the unbranched stem. After a juvenile period, lasting for about two months, flowers begin to develop in leaf axils. Flowering continues throughout the year as new leaves emerge. The plants, which are dioecious, begin to bear fruit within a year after planting, sustaining high yields for two years before yields decline. The ‘effective’ root depth varies with the method of irrigation, but can reach 0.55 m. The seedlings and the trees are susceptible to wind damage, a topic that has been well researched. Stomata are only found on the abaxial leaf surface. They are sensitive to changes in the saturation deficit of the air. Stomata also respond quickly to changing light conditions. On clear days, midday suppression of photosynthesis occurs as a result of partial closure of the stomata. In the morning, there is a time lag between water loss by transpiration and sap flow, as water is taken from storage in the hollow stem. Few attempts have been made to measure the actual water use of papaya, and there are no reliable published values for the crop coefficient. Limitations to the design of the papaya irrigation experiments reported so far make it difficult to reconcile the results in practical ways. Water productivities equivalent to 1.8 to 2.8 kg (fresh fruit) m−3 (irrigation water) have been obtained. Although papaya is generally considered to be drought sensitive and responsive to irrigation, there is a shortage of good experimental evidence to support this view. There is a need to establish practical irrigation schedules for this remarkable crop. A uniformity of approach to irrigation experimentation and a common, universally agreed nomenclature would facilitate this process.

Type
Review Paper
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Allan, P., Chlery, J. Mc and Biggs, D. (1987). Environmental effects on clonal female and male Carica papaya L. plants. Scientia Horticulturae 32:221232.Google Scholar
Almeida, T., de., F., Bernado, S., de Sousa, E. F., Marin, S. L. D. and Grippa, S. (2003). Growth and yeld of papaya under irrigation. Scientia Agricola 60 (3):419424.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campostrini, E. and Glenn, D. M. (2007). Ecophysiology of papaya: a review. Brazilian Journal of Plant Physiology 19 (4):413424.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campostrini, E. and Yamanishi, O. K. (2001). Influence of mechanical root restriction on gas-exchange of four papaya genotypes. Brazilian Journal of Plant Physiology 13:129138.Google Scholar
Carr, M. K. V. (2009). The water relations and irrigation requirements of banana (MUSA SPP.): a review. Experimental Agriculture 45:333371.Google Scholar
Carr, M. K. V. (2011a). The water relations and irrigation requirements of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.): a review. Experimental Agriculture 47:2751.Google Scholar
Carr, M. K. V. (2012a). The water relations and irrigation requirements of citrus (Citrus Spp.): a review. Experimental Agriculture 48:347377.Google Scholar
Carr, M. K. V. (2012b). The water relations and irrigation requirements of pineapple (Ananas comosus var. comosus): a review. Experimental Agriculture 48 (4):488501.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chaterlan, Y., Hernández, G., López, T., Paredes, P., Pereirab, L. S., Martínez, R. and Puig, O. (2010). Estimation of the papaya crop coefficients for improving irrigation water management in south of Havana. Acta Horticulturae 928:179186.Google Scholar
Clemente, H. S. and Marler, T. E. (1996). Drought stress influences gas-exchange responses of papaya leaves to rapid changes in irradiance. Journal of the American Society of Horticultural Science 121 (2):292295.Google Scholar
Clemente, H. S. and Marler, T. E. (2001). Trade winds reduce growth and influence gas exchange patterns in papaya seedlings. Annals of Botany 88:379385.Google Scholar
Coelho, E. F., Saantos, M. R. and Filho, M. A. C. (2005). Papaya root distribution under different trickle irrigation systems in a coastal tableland latosol. Revista Brasileira Frutcultura Jaboticabal 27:175178. (In Portugese).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cruz, P. C. Sta., Mylalulex, A., Magnaye, A., Magdalita, P. M., Hautea, D. M. and Hautea, R. A. (2009). Transpiration rate and stomatal parameters of transgenic papaya conferred with ringspot virus resistance. Asia Life Sciences 18 (1):111120. (Abstract only seen).Google Scholar
Da Silva, J. G. F., Ferreira, P. A., Costa, L. C., Melendes, R. R. V. and Cecon, P. R. (2001). Effects of different water depths and irrigation frequencies on the yield of papaya (Carica papaya L.). Revista Brasileira de Fruticultura 23 (3):597601. (In Portugese).Google Scholar
DAFF. (2009). Cultivating Papayas. Republic of South Africa: Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Available at: www.nda.agric.za/publications (accessed June 2012).Google Scholar
DAFF. (2012). Papaya Land and Climate Requirements. Brisbane, Australia: Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, the State of Queensland. Available at: http://www.daff.qld.gov.au/26_18622.htm (accessed June 2012).Google Scholar
El-Sharkawy, M. A., Cock, M. J. H. and Hernandez, A. D. P. (1985). Stomatal response to air humidity and its relation to stomatal density in a wide range of warm climate species. Photosynthesis Research 7:137149.Google Scholar
FAOSTAT. (2012). FAOSTAT. Available at: http://faostat.fao.org/site/567/default.aspx#ancor (accessed 4 May 2012).Google Scholar
Ferraz, T. M., Campostrini, E., Torres-Netto, A., Reis, F. O. and de Sousa, E. F. (2011). Whole-canopy photosynthesis and transpiration in field-grown papaya plants. Acta Horticulturae 903:11691174.Google Scholar
Goenaga, R., Rivera, E. and Almodóvar, C. (2004). Yield of papaya irrigated with fractions of Class A pan evaporation in a semiarid environment. The Journal of Agriculture of the University of Puerto Rico 88 (1–2):110.Google Scholar
Jeyakumar, P., Kavimo, M., Kumar, N. and Soorianathasundaram, K. (2007). Physiological performance of papaya cultivars under abiotic stress conditions. Acta Horticulturae 740:209215.Google Scholar
Marler, T. E. (2011). Growth responses to wind differ among papaya roots, leaves and stems. HortScience 46 (8):11051109.Google Scholar
Marler, T. E. and Clemente, H. S. (2006). Papaya seedling growth response to wind and water deficit is additive. HortScience 41 (1):9698.Google Scholar
Marler, T. E. and Discekici, H. M. (1996a). Root system characteristics of young papaya plants. HortScience 31 (4):604. (Abstract only).Google Scholar
Marler, T. E. and Discekici, H. M. (1996b). Partial root volume irrigation of papaya plants in split root containers. HortScience 31 (4):685. (Abstract only).Google Scholar
Marler, T. E. and Discekici, H. M. (1997a). Yield and root growth responses of papaya to partial root volume irrigation by drip or microsprinkler irrigation. HortScience 32 (2):545. (Abstract only).Google Scholar
Marler, T. E. and Discekici, H. M. (1997b). Root development of ‘Red Lady’ papaya plants grown on a hillside. Plant and Soil 195:3742.Google Scholar
Marler, T. E. and Mickelbart, M. V. (1998). Drought, leaf gas exchange, and chlorophyll fluorescence of field grown papaya. Journal of the American Society of Horticultural Science 123:714718.Google Scholar
Maas, E. V. (1993). Testing crops for salinity tolerance. In Proceedings of Workshop on Adaptation of Plants to Soil Stresses, 234247 (Eds Baligar, B. V., Duncan, R. R. and Yohe, J. M.). Lincoln NE: INTSORMIL, University of Nebraska.Google Scholar
Migliaccio, K. W., Schaffer, B., Crane, J. H. and Davies, F. S. (2010). Plant response to evapotranspiration and soil water sensor irrigation scheduling methods for papaya production in south Florida. Agricultural Water Management 97:14521460.Google Scholar
Morton, J. (1987). Papaya. In Fruits of Warm Climates, 336346. Miami, FL: Julia F. Morton.Google Scholar
Muthukrishnan, C. R. and Irulappan, I. (1990). Papaya, Chapter 7. In Fruits: Tropical and Subtropical, 304335 (Eds Bose, T. K. and Mitra, S. K.). Kolkata, India: Naya Prokashan.Google Scholar
PIP. (2011). Crop Production Protocols: Papaya. Brussels, Belgium: PIP Programme, 54 pp. Available at: http://pip.coleacp.org/files/documents/IT-Papaye%2007-2011-08-1-UK_0.pdf (accessed August 2012).Google Scholar
Purseglove, J. W. (1968). Tropical Crops: Dicotyledons. London: Longman.Google Scholar
Reis, F. O. and Campostrini, E. (2008). Trocas gasosas e eficiência fotoquimica potencial em mamoeiro do grupo ‘Formosa’ cultivado em condição de campo. Bragantia, Campinas 67:815822.Google Scholar
Reis, F. O., Campostrini, E., de Sousa, E. F. and Silva, M. G. (2006). Sap flow in papaya plants: laboratory calibrations and relationships with gas exchanges under field conditions. Scientia Horticulturae 110:254259.Google Scholar
Samson, J. A. (2003), Tropical Fruits, 2nd edn.Oxford, UK: Blackwell Science.Google Scholar
Santana, J. L., Sousa, M. J., Rodriguez, M. C. and Suarez, C. L. (2008). Response of papaya (Carica papaya L.) plant to deficit irrigation in the Canary Islands. Acta Horticulturae 792:559565.Google Scholar
Srinivas, K. (1996). Plant water relations, yield and water use of papaya (Carica papaya L.) at different rates under drip irrigation. Tropical Agriculture (Trinidad) 73 (4):264269.Google Scholar
Torres-Netto, A., Campostrini, E., Azevedo, L. C., de Souza, M. A., Ramalho, J. C. and Chaves, M. M. (2009). Morphological analysis and photosynthetic performance of improved papaya genotypes. Brazilian Journal of Plant Physiology 21 (3):209222.Google Scholar
USAID. (2008). Operation guide drip irrigation: 1 hectare system for papaya. USAID/TIPCEE project, Ghana. Available at: http://www.cop-horti.net/IMG/pdf/Irrigation_Operation_guide_1ha_Papaya_-19Apr08.pdf (accessed July 2012)Google Scholar
Zimmerman, T. W. (2008). Water Usage and Papaya Growth in Double Row Systems Established During the Dry Season. St. Thomas, USVI: Water Resources Research Institute, University of the Virgin Islands. Available at: http://www.uvi.edu/sites/uvi/Publications/water_usage.pdf (accessed June 2012).Google Scholar