African Papaya®

Product description

The papaya tree (Carica papaya L.) is a fast-growing branchless perennial tree up to 10 m tall, with a crown of very large leaves, at the base of which is the fruit. It is grown mainly for the edible fruits that appear 10 months after planting. They are orange or red-orange when ripe and can weigh up to 9 kg each. The fruits are delicious, sweet and juicy. The leaves and fruit by-products are also used for animal feed.

It is thought to be native to Mexico and Central America. It was spread in the 16th century, by Spanish explorers, from Central America to the Caribbean and Southeast Asia. Now it is widespread in the tropics (between 32 ° N and S) in South America, Africa and Asia and in the warm subtropics (Oceania). ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS: temperatures between 21 - 33 ° C, growth at an altitude of up to 1600 meters above sea level, with an annual rainfall of 1200 mm. . Warm and sunny seasons enhance fruit quality. Shade is important as well as windbreaks. Papaya is sensitive to salinity and frost and does not tolerate waterlogging and flooding.

SOIL: well drained, rich in organic matter, with a pH of 6.0-6.5. FERTILIZER: it requires heavy fertilizer applications because nutrient removal is 1 kg N, 0.2 kg P and 2.5 kg K / t fruit. The use of manure and mulch stabilizes the release of nutrients