Author Topic: Papaya problem  (Read 4028 times)

BajaJohn

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Papaya problem
« on: May 02, 2017, 11:49:13 AM »
The papayas I planted from the seeds of a store-bought Maradol are looking sick although one has growing fruit on it. Can anyone identify the problem and offer a solution.
The trees were planted as 30cm high seedlings about a year ago in a 50/50 soil/compost mix. There are a few tiny (2cm long) ants running around the trees and there are a few other black, oval shaped creatures about 1 * 1.5 mms on the underside of leaves.


Newly sprouting leaves on two of them emerge malformed and shrivel back to the major leaf veins.


The other two seem to be producing new leaves but the mature leaves are badly mottled.

Thanks
John
« Last Edit: May 02, 2017, 12:09:13 PM by BajaJohn »

ChristineMessner

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Re: Papaya problem
« Reply #1 on: May 02, 2017, 12:22:49 PM »
The papayas I planted from the seeds of a store-bought Maradol are looking sick although one has growing fruit on it. Can anyone identify the problem and offer a solution.
The trees were planted as 30cm high seedlings about a year ago in a 50/50 soil/compost mix. There are a few tiny (2cm long) ants running around the trees and there are a few other black, oval shaped creatures about 1 * 1.5 mms on the underside of leaves.


Newly sprouting leaves on two of them emerge malformed and shrivel back to the major leaf veins.


The other two seem to be producing new leaves but the mature leaves are badly mottled.

Thanks
John
THANKS FOR THAT INFO

Tropicdude

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Re: Papaya problem
« Reply #2 on: May 02, 2017, 11:39:38 PM »
Really need to check for mites under the new leaves.  or other leaf sucking insects. 

papaya is also a heavy feeder and is also very sensitive to boron deficiency in the soil.   be careful with this mineral though.  too much and bye bye plants.     if you have root rot,   this will effect new growth as well,  and death will come soon if that is the case.   

1) Check for bugs ,  this is very probable .
2) Check for nutrient deficiency,  if what you have has no boron in it or little in the way of minors. consider amending for these.
3) keep fingers crossed its not root rot,   not much you can do if it is.   prevention is the only way.  ( not over watering,  plant on high mound ).

here is a great cultivation guide for Papaya,  sorry its in Spanish.  more for commercial growers but you or someone else might get something useful from it.
http://www.centa.gob.sv/docs/guias/frutales/GUIA%20CULTIVO%20PAPAYA.pdf
William
" The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago.....The second best time, is now ! "

BajaJohn

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Re: Papaya problem
« Reply #3 on: May 03, 2017, 03:23:32 AM »
Thank-you for the response Tropicdude. I hope you are right with the bugs though I haven't seen too many. The Guia Cultivo has a picture of a mite infested papaya that looks exactly like my plants so maybe need to get the magnifying glass out. Anyway I gave them a spray with soap solution tonight. I'll give them some fertilizer which may help them fight whatever is ailing them. My soil tests found moderate levels for most minerals. Boron was on the higher end of normal. Phosphorus and iron were low everywhere except where I planted the papaya. There were a few high values - zinc and magnesium were super high and potassium was about 4 times normal. Manganese, copper and calcium were also slightly above normal.
I pushed and pulled at the tree trunks which seemed fairly solid. I'll dig in the soil around the trunks tomorrow to see how wet it is.
Thanks very much for the cultivation guide. It looks very informative. My Spanish isn't great but I only had to look up 2 words before I had another vote for mites.

Tropicdude

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Re: Papaya problem
« Reply #4 on: May 03, 2017, 09:35:22 PM »
Given your soil seems to be ok,  I would check for bugs,  thing is, they may have come, did their damage and gone away, they usually get  under new growth leaves.   probably nothing you can do for the stunted ones you have now,  but when next set comes out,  that's when you need to stay on your toes.
William
" The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago.....The second best time, is now ! "

BajaJohn

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Re: Papaya problem
« Reply #5 on: May 15, 2017, 05:26:54 PM »
Thanks (William?). Sprayed a few times with soapy water and the emerging new leaves are looking healthy.

Tropicdude

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Re: Papaya problem
« Reply #6 on: May 16, 2017, 01:55:37 AM »
That's good news.
William
" The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago.....The second best time, is now ! "

Viking Guy

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Re: Papaya problem
« Reply #7 on: May 16, 2017, 08:16:44 AM »
Those ants aren't there to get a sun tan.

Sounds like the very same thing which ailed my Quince.

Cleaned off the underside of all of the leaves and sprayed it down with a solution of neem oil, and after it dried, I made a solution of diatomaceous earth and covered everything (especially underside of leaves and newest growths).  Problem went away within days.  Gotta get those ants to leave it alone so they stop their farming of leaf suckers.

Just bear in mind, the plant will generally go ahead and drop many of the affected leaves
« Last Edit: May 16, 2017, 08:19:02 AM by Viking Guy »

Viking Guy

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Re: Papaya problem
« Reply #8 on: May 16, 2017, 08:17:44 AM »
. duplicate

BajaJohn

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Re: Papaya problem
« Reply #9 on: May 16, 2017, 05:10:09 PM »
Thanks Adam. The general opinion is that ants replace the function of earthworms in this hot, dry climate where worms don't seem to thrive. There seems to be some academic support for that idea here. I'm working on attracting worms but this climate is a new learning experience for me.

Viking Guy

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Re: Papaya problem
« Reply #10 on: May 16, 2017, 07:32:54 PM »
Buy premium worm castings.

Sow it in the dirt, and make a brew out of it.

You will thank me later.

greenman62

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Re: Papaya problem
« Reply #11 on: May 17, 2017, 04:23:47 PM »
i would look rather closely under the new leaves especially for bugs
if you only have a few, i doubt thats the problem.
those may be  aphids. ants tend to "farm" them. ive seen that on half a dozen different species.
my first thought with papaya is always water.
 how well does the soil drain (sandy?), and is there mulch at the base of the plant.
how much organic matter etc...

Hana321

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Re: Papaya problem
« Reply #12 on: May 23, 2017, 05:39:47 PM »
I too have a papaya problem. I bought a container of papaya from Home Depot a few weeks ago. They came 3 to a 2 gallon pot. The plants are small, about 12 inches tall. When I bought them they looked fairly normal. I took them home, and placed the container in a spot in the yard that received morning only sun. I watered them daily since it has been hot here. In the upper nineties or lower 100s. After a few weeks of the plant being there, I noticed that the leaves were looking a little on the yellow side, so I moved the plant to a different location that received more sun. The yellowing leaves did not seem to improve, and yesterday the temperature spiked to about 110, and the plant dried out, and one of the plants started to wilt. I watered it really good, and the tree has been slow to recover. I moved it back into a sheltered location. I am concerned because the leaves seem to be growing in off colored. All the leaves are like a yellow green, like a hybrid between a green apple and a golden delicious apple. I have not seen any bugs on or around the trees. I know that papaya trees grow well here, as I have seen multiple specimens in more  than one area in the area that I live. Trying to correct the issue with the plants. I really don't want to lose them.  :'(

BajaJohn

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Re: Papaya problem
« Reply #13 on: May 24, 2017, 11:22:43 AM »
Those same papayas are looking much healthier now. Treatment was soap spray.

I also found this review of papaya growing conditions. A bit technical and sometimes hard to follow but it seems very comprehensive. One section suggests that papayas are extremely sensitive to overwatering because their roots need oxygen to survive. Hana, be sure you have well draining soil.

Thank-you Greenman. The soil is 50/50 compost and alluvial soil which is sandy with natural gravel. It is drip irrigated twice daily. Two of the 4 plants in the row showed no symptoms of problems and one seems to be producing nicely although nothing is ready yet.


Hana321

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Re: Papaya problem
« Reply #14 on: May 24, 2017, 02:30:32 PM »
I have not changed the pots yet since i bought them, so the soil looks like it is a well draining soil mix. I saw a similar plant at home depot yesterday. Same pot, same mix, and it looked normal. I am babying the plants for now hoping they recover

Delvi83

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Re: Papaya problem
« Reply #15 on: May 25, 2017, 11:44:08 AM »
If new leaves will sprout health i would not be worried..

Vernmented

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Re: Papaya problem
« Reply #16 on: May 25, 2017, 01:14:56 PM »
@Baja John That could be Papaya Ringspot Virus. Papayas will out grow it during warm weather but it will catch up when it slows down a bit. I don't think Maradol has any tolerance. If it is PRSV I would remove the infected plants. It is spread by aphids. You could plant tolerant varieties and there are some GMO varieties that are immune if that is your thing.
-Josh

greenman62

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Re: Papaya problem
« Reply #17 on: May 26, 2017, 09:15:30 AM »
@Baja John That could be Papaya Ringspot Virus. Papayas will out grow it during warm weather but it will catch up when it slows down a bit. I don't think Maradol has any tolerance. If it is PRSV I would remove the infected plants. It is spread by aphids. You could plant tolerant varieties and there are some GMO varieties that are immune if that is your thing.

actually my understanding is you cant buy GMO seeds without at least taking a class, perhaps a license...

it doesnt really look like PSRV to me anyway
i would water every other day to let them dry out.
papaya are much more drought tolerant than most people think.
To me, watering twice a day is asking for root rot.
especially since it looks like they get some shade at the roots.