Papaya

Common Diseases in Papaya (Carica papaya)

The papaya or, papaw, or pawpaw is the fruit of the plant Carica papaya, the sole species in the genus Carica of the plant family Caricaceae. It is native to the tropics of the Americas, perhaps from southern Mexico and neighbouring Central America.

Here are the common diseases in papaya fruit and their control.

POWDERY MILDEW (Odium caricae)

•       Control

–      As soon as the disease symptoms are observed dusting Sulphur (30 g/10 litres of water) or spraying Calixin 75 EC (5 ml/10 litres of water) at 15 days interval helps to control the disease.

LEAF BLIGHT (Corynespora cassiicola)

•       Control

–      Disease can be controlled by spraying of Dithane M-45 (0.2%) starting form the appearance of the disease symptoms.

DAMPING OFF (Rhizoctonia solani)

•       Control

–      Well-drained soil should be used for planting and the crop should not be excessively irrigated. Before sowing the seeds should be treated with fungal culture of Trichoderma viride (3-4 g/kg of seed) or Captan (3 g/kg of seed) to protect the newly emerging seedlings.

FOOT ROT (Pythium aphanidermatum)

•       Control

–      Application of Trichoderma viride (15 g/plant) mixed in well-decomposed FYM should be applied around the root zone of the plants at the time of planting. The crop should be irrigated by adopting the ring method of irrigation so that the water does not come in direct contact with the stem.

ANTHRACNOSE (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides)

•       Control

–      The affected fruits should be remove and destroyed. The fruits should be harvested as soon as they mature. Spaying with Copper Oxychloride (3 g/litre of water) or Carbendazim (1 g/litre of water) or Thiophanate Methyl (1 g/litre of water) at 15 days interval effectively controls the disease. Fruits for exports should be subjected to hot water treatment or a fungicidal wax treatment.

PAPAYA MOSAIC

•       Control

–      Good field sanitation such as removal and destruction of affected plant reduce the spread of the disease. Also, losses can be minimised controlling the population of aphid. Application of Carbofuran (1 kg a.i./ha) at the time of sowing seeds followed by 2-3 foliar sprays of Phosphamidon (0.05%) at an interval of 10 days starting from 15-20 days after sowing effectively checks the population of aphids.

LEAF CURL OF PAPAYA

•       Control

–      Removal and destruction of the affected plants is the only control measure to reduce the spread of the disease. Checking the population of white flies also can reduce the infection severity. Soil application of Carbofuran (1 kg a.i./ha) at the time of sowing and 4-5 foliar sprays of Dimethoate (0.05%) or Metasystox (0.02%) or Nuvacron (0.05% ) at an interval of 10 days effectively controls the whitefly population.

Thank You !!