Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 11.2.
The effect of date of fruit set on
fi
nal fruit size and days from anthesis to
the half-ripe stage of plants grown under subtropical conditions (Kuhne and Allan,
1970).
having smaller leaf area, lower stomatal density, increased internode and
petiole length and increased chlorophyll content, and hence is regarded as a
shade-avoiding species. Partial stomatal closure and opening occur rapidly
with cloud-related changes in irradiance, maximizing water-use ei ciency.
Windbreaks
Papaya trees are delicate and require protection from strong winds. When
the root system is well developed, though relatively shallow, the tree can be
uprooted by winds of 64 km/h, especially if the soil is softened by rain. Even
though trees can withstand uprooting, loss of leaf area leads to fl ower and
young fruit abscission, and low total soluble solids in the more mature fruit
on the column. Full recovery from wind damage to the leaves can take from
4 to 8 weeks.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
Stem
The papaya is a large, monoaxial herbaceous plant with an erect stem
terminating with a crown of large leaves and can attain heights of 7-9 m
