Author Topic: Papaya air layer  (Read 3888 times)

samuel

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 139
    • Reunion
    • View Profile
Papaya air layer
« on: October 05, 2015, 12:10:21 PM »
Hi everyone,

Does anyone here have been successful with Papaya air layers?

i have seen pictures on FB showing supposedly marcotted papaya trees.

Looking at those pics I felt like giving it a trial. I proceeded as i would have for any air layer. After one and a half month i can't see anything coming.

here are a some links of a few pictures

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1082974808392902&set=pcb.743015545802619&type=3&theater

this first picture shows the stem being prepared like any other air layer in the common way of removing a circular layer of bark all around the stem.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1082974841726232&set=pcb.743015545802619&type=3&permPage=1

This other picture shows another type of cut getting into the core of the stem.

Basically they prune back the main stem of the papaya tree to induce the growth of many young and vigorous shoots. And then using those for air layering. So far that is ok. Then what is precisely done afterwards remains a mystery to me.

One explanation may be that those guys are using some specific chemical rooting hormone. As per my trial i have used Orgasyl which is a peat moss enriched with a root growth stimulator http://www.frayssinet-nutrition.com/Product-range/Produits/Orgasyl

Thanks for your inputs!


Samuel
Reunion Island

fyliu

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3216
    • Burbank/Covina, CA 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Papaya air layer
« Reply #1 on: October 05, 2015, 02:35:48 PM »
I'm not sure if papaya air layer is easy, but you can cut the existing 5 trunk into sections and root then from cuttings. Just make sure the wounds are dried properly to prevent rot. Think of plumeria from cuttings.

jcaldeira

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 998
    • Planet Earth
    • View Profile
Re: Papaya air layer
« Reply #2 on: October 06, 2015, 01:54:34 AM »
Don't know about air-layering papaya, but I've rooted side branches from papaya.  Hardly worth the effort, though.  Papaya plants mostly come true to the mother tree so not much to gain my cloning.    Maybe it's their hermaphroditic nature, but I haven't seen much cross-pollination between my 4 varieties.
Applying laws and rules equally to all is a cornerstone of a civilized society.

greenman62

  • CharlesitaveNB
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1277
    • [url=https://vgruk.com/]vgr uk[/url]
    • View Profile
Re: Papaya air layer
« Reply #3 on: October 07, 2015, 07:27:56 AM »
i had started an air layer for a papaya a few months ago.
i removed the plastic after 1 month and there were 2-3 small root hairs.
i got busy and forgot to re-wrap it... LOL

its obviously possible.
ive grown a couple from cuttings as well,
but, the ones i tried from the leaf-stems didnt work, only the ones from growing tips worked.

they do grow very fast from seed, but for me, this may actually work better
in years with mild winters, most of my papaya make it through
in years with cold winters, i loose most of them,
or, they freeze to the trunk, and take 2 months in spring to produce a flower.
and another several months to ripen fruit.

this way, i can have smaller/shorter plants in the greenhouse over winter
and i can do a cutting or air-layer in early spring of a fruiting pant
and it should produce for me much faster.

cutting grown





samuel

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 139
    • Reunion
    • View Profile
Re: Papaya air layer
« Reply #4 on: October 09, 2015, 12:42:46 PM »
Thanks to all for your replies ;)

i will wait another 2 weeks or so before i unwrap the plastic and see if anything happened (cal formation, roots...?)

i take good note of the cutting option and will definitely give it a try.

I find it interesting to propagate papayas vegetatively. We have a lot a cross pollination happening here and it is very hazardous to extract seeds of a known cultivar sow it and expect to get it true to type.

For bisexual cultivars, protecting the flowers from cross pollination can be a solution. Has anyone tried it? if yes what results did you get? Have done it myself but have not yet completed the process. 2nd generation papaya plants still growing...
Samuel
Reunion Island