Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 16.3.
Characteristics of the main papaya cultivars.
Cultivar
Characteristic
Solo Group
Sunrise Solo
Golden
Formosa Group
Maradol
Origin
Barbados
Hawaii
Brazil
Taiwan
Cuba
Fruit
Weight (g)
450-900
465
300-465
1,300-2,700
1,500-2,500
Shape
Hermaphrodite
pyriform/
female round
Hermaphrodite
pyriform
with slight
neck/female
round
Hermaphrodite
pyriform/
female
round
Hermaphrodite
elongated/
female round
Hermaphrodite
pyriform and
elongated/
female round
Skin color
Yellow
Yellow-orange
Yellow-orange
Orange
Bright orange
Flesh color
Orange-reddish
Reddish-pink
Orange
Reddish-
orange
Red-salmon
Seed cavity
Deeper than
Sunrise Solo
Not very deep
Not deep
Not deep
Not deep
14
◦
-16
◦
Brix,
very sweet
12
◦
-15
◦
Brix,
very sweet
12
◦
-13
◦
Brix,
sweet
11
◦
-14
◦
Brix,
sweet
12
◦
-13
◦
Brix,
sweet
Taste
Aroma
Nice
Nice
Nice
Mild
Strong
Height, fruit
development
(cm)
90
90
70
60-80
50
Market
Fresh
Table
Table
Table
Table
Table/processing
Local
Good
Very good
Very good
Very good
Very good
Export
Good
Very good
Very good
Very good
Very good
Other highlights
Thick skin good
for shipping
Low sterility
Thick skin
good for
shipping
Thick skin
good for
shipping
High
productivity,
long self life
Thick skin good
for shipping,
long shelf life
Source: Garcıa Torres and Escobar Betancourt (2002); Bron and Jacomino (2006); CARICOM (2006).
yellow streak begins development from the base upward
(O'Hare, 1993). Moreover, the latex consistency changes
from milky to watery indicating that the fruit is ready for
harvest. Fruits in this condition continue to ripen normally
after harvest. However, those fruits harvested before this
stage will fail to show complete ripening, while those har-
vested after are more susceptible to damage and bruising
during handling. Papaya fruits are harvested manually de-
pending on the size and age of the tree, using specialized
tools, knives, or by hand. As the plants grow taller, har-
vesting aids are required. One technique uses a modified
plumber's helper to snap the papaya from the stem. The
fruit is caught before it falls to the ground. Another imple-
ment for harvesting comprises a long pole, a small circular
hoop at the top, a small mesh bag attached to the hoop, and
a horizontal blade above the hoop and the bag. The blade
is positioned below the peduncle of the fruit and the pole
moved upwards; the fruit is detached from the tree and then
drops gently into the mesh bag below the hoop at the top
of the pole. One more technique involves a platform rigged
to a tractor, which lifts the workers. This method requires
flat terrain (Sommer and Arpaia, 1992). All stems should
be trimmed after harvest to prevent fruit damage by friction
during transport to the packing facilities and left in shaded
conditions protected from the sun and rain in bins or other
containers (Medlicott, 2001). Mesh bags, sacks, or baskets
are unacceptable for papaya transport due to the high sus-
ceptibility to bruising. Care should be taken during trans-
port in field boxes to minimize the movement of fruit, and
the fruit should never be thrown or dropped. Damaged skin
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