Author Topic: Selecting papaya for dwarfism?  (Read 1520 times)

gnappi

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Selecting papaya for dwarfism?
« on: September 16, 2020, 11:05:34 PM »
I've been growing papaya from a few sources, killing the males and allowing the only the hermaphrodite and female plants to fruit. After about 50 plants I have two that have fruited less than three feet from the ground.

My question is has anyone here taken this on through several generations to see if dwarfism can be bred / predicted / selected?

« Last Edit: September 16, 2020, 11:14:33 PM by gnappi »
Regards,

   Gary

Kevin Jones

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Re: Selecting papaya for dwarfism?
« Reply #1 on: September 16, 2020, 11:22:13 PM »
Fascinating... keep up the good work!

Kevin Jones

pineislander

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Re: Selecting papaya for dwarfism?
« Reply #2 on: September 17, 2020, 08:18:03 AM »
I haven't done breeding but am finding that good spacing in a full sun position gives much shorter plants. The tactic of planting multiple seeds together tends to push vertical growth due to crowding. I noticed this among F1 hybrid Red Maradol seedlings transplanted from 1 gal pots.

gnappi

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Re: Selecting papaya for dwarfism?
« Reply #3 on: September 17, 2020, 05:09:26 PM »
I noticed that crowding causes spindly growth too. I am only on my second generation but the third, fourth and later generations I am hoping to see indications of small stature inheritance.

Fingers crossed.
Regards,

   Gary

lebmung

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Re: Selecting papaya for dwarfism?
« Reply #4 on: September 17, 2020, 05:16:32 PM »
My question is has anyone here taken this on through several generations to see if dwarfism can be bred / predicted / selected?

The dwarfest created papaya is Pusa Nahna. Look on the forum

gnappi

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Re: Selecting papaya for dwarfism?
« Reply #5 on: September 19, 2020, 09:52:02 PM »
Thanks I have seen that. But found no mention of the selection processes.
Regards,

   Gary

Mike T

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Re: Selecting papaya for dwarfism?
« Reply #6 on: September 19, 2020, 10:05:59 PM »
Bend taproot to horizontal when planting and keep in full sun, uncrowded to minimise height also.

voyager

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Re: Selecting papaya for dwarfism?
« Reply #7 on: September 20, 2020, 02:09:44 AM »
UHH Manoa has developed several seed types that are supposed to be adapted to tropical/sub tropical climates.
Some of which are Papayas.
https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/seed/
I did buy several seedlings at a local orchid show that were dwarf in size.
They began fruiting in less than 18 months at less than 6 feet in height.
The problem is that our climate in this region is too wet. Papayas prefer a dryer climate.
The fruit were not good tasting and developed fungal lesions.
I had the same problem with full sized trees planted from seeds before trying the dwarfs.



Mike T

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Re: Selecting papaya for dwarfism?
« Reply #8 on: September 20, 2020, 02:19:12 AM »
Just how wet are you? I know papaya prefer 180 inches a year than 110 inches average and they seem fine in the much wetter than average years. Doesn't seem to diminish their taste in wet years when there is around 100 inches during the 3 month wet season.

voyager

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Re: Selecting papaya for dwarfism?
« Reply #9 on: September 20, 2020, 03:28:18 AM »
I have serious doubts about your statement " I know papaya prefer 180 inches a year ...
".
We live in an area classified as a 150 to 160 inches a year of rainfall, also rated as USDA 12a-12b.
Our local rainfall is probably even higher.
We're on the windward side of the island at 750' at the top of a pali where the clouds make a quick steep rise.
Papayas are grown locally commercially in large orchard settings, but at lower elevations, closer to sea level where it is warmer and drier.
I see pickups with their beds filled with yellow spotted green papayas driving to the markets and other places around the island.
Temperature may be a factor, but most likely because our area is too wet for them.
Wet climate also means less sun because of cloud cover.

Nobody grows papaya in our area.
When they try, they give up.
I've seen 10' and up trees ripped out of yards around here because they were a waste of time and space.
Everybody tries to grow some type of tropical fruit in their yard around here.
I've got various bananas, various tangerines, oranges, limes, ledmons, longans, mulberry, pineapples - yellow and white, various avos,  and jaboticabas. There might be more that don't come to mind right now, but no papayas anymore.   

 

Mike T

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Re: Selecting papaya for dwarfism?
« Reply #10 on: September 20, 2020, 05:47:14 AM »
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Bellenden_Ker
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babinda
https://www.farmonline.com.au/story/3605285/papaya-papaws-set-for-bumper-crops/
https://www.aussietowns.com.au/town/babinda-qld
https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2006-06-08/cyclone-pawpaw-impact-worse-than-feared/1772958?pfmredir=sm&pfm=sm
Also look at Tully's rainfall. Many of the farms are in the higher rainfall hinterlands.

There are about 100 to 150 growers of papaw and papaya nationally. The industry produces about 50pc of yellow-fleshed fruit and 50pc of red-fleshed fruit.
About 95pc of the national crop comes from coastal regions (Cardwell, Mossman, Daintree, Babinda, Innisfail and Tully) and the tableland Mareeba.

Mike T

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Re: Selecting papaya for dwarfism?
« Reply #11 on: September 20, 2020, 05:55:20 AM »
In my area the papaya farms are concentrated around the towns of Tully and Babinda. While the towns themselves average a bit over 4000mm with adjacent areas often around 5000mm/yr. Only one weather station is on the mountains that stretch behind these coastal towns and that has over 8000mm/yr average. This is papaya growing country.

Mike T

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Re: Selecting papaya for dwarfism?
« Reply #12 on: September 20, 2020, 06:12:45 AM »

This reference might be easier

gnappi

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Re: Selecting papaya for dwarfism?
« Reply #13 on: September 20, 2020, 10:10:40 AM »
I have decent soil and have no problem growing papaya even in wetter summer conditions when we get a lot of rain and during dry spells in winter I provide what I would call minimal water support.

My interest isn't the ultimate size of the plant (though height and fruit position seem directly proportional) but how far from the soil flowers erupt. Thats the elusive selection issue.

Regards,

   Gary

pineislander

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Re: Selecting papaya for dwarfism?
« Reply #14 on: September 20, 2020, 07:39:46 PM »
A lot of papaya problems come from soils. They are so intolerant of waterlogging. We had 10 inches of rain last week on top of a fairly high seasonal water table, every ditch is full, ponds are overflowing. If you dig down a foot or so you will strike water. Everybody who had them here on the ground lost them, the leaves drooped down and they'll collapse by next week or so. I have about 30 now, most are just getting first flowers but the ones from last year are loading up. We have plenty of trouble with papaya fly/wasp but mine are on schedule to ripen over winter when pest pressure drops off and tourist season is on so I'll have lots of sales.

Mike T

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Re: Selecting papaya for dwarfism?
« Reply #15 on: September 21, 2020, 03:55:08 AM »
That is why colluvial areas and on basalt derived soils is preferred.

voyager

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Re: Selecting papaya for dwarfism?
« Reply #16 on: September 21, 2020, 05:27:17 PM »
I was q bit sharp in my 1st post here.
The old lady and I had just had a few words, and I was primed.

But, that makes no difference.
My experiences still tell me that 180 in./yr of rainfall is way too much, except possibly in a monsoonal climate where there are still many months of sunny low rainfall periods that correspond with the growing ripening period.
I still stand by that view.

Mike T

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Re: Selecting papaya for dwarfism?
« Reply #17 on: September 21, 2020, 05:34:09 PM »
Yes I left out the part about rainfall distribution throughout the year. If 140 inches falls in the 3 month rainy season and only another 40 inches for the rest of the year papaya do great. Not so if there is 20 inches a month for seven months. Drainage is important and they do like good air circulation also rather than constant still conditions.