PAPAYA GROWING AT THE UNIVERSITY FIELD STATION, TRINIDAD

The cultivation of papaya (Carica papaya L.), a local strain of cultivar Sunrise Solo, for fresh fruit marketing as practiced at the University Field Station is discussed. Although Bunchy Top and virus diseases constitute the major constraint to successful production, the results indicate that the crop has attractive possibilities. Analysis of cost and returns of crops grown on 0.5 ha over the period 1973 to 1982 shows a gross margin of TT$18,000 per ha at a sold marketable yield of 26,997 kg/ha for a crop duration of 16 months. Some areas requiring attention are highlighted, including the selection and rapid availability of adaptable cultivars with good yield potential associated with desirable fruit characteristics and resistance to Bunchy Top and virus diseases; the mineral nutrition of the crops, specifically the role and function of nitrogen, and calcium soil pH in mitigating the expression of the Bunchy Top disease, fruit demand analysis, and fruit market development, for the fresh trade and for processing