Study on Incidence and Management of Papaya Disorders and Diseases Through Balanced Nutrition and Common Practices under NEPZ of India

The investigation was carried out at IARI Regional Station, Pusa, Samastipur (Bihar). Several physiological disorders such as bumpy fruit and deformed/discoloured seeds occurred in papaya fruit crops in North Eastern Plains Zone (NEPZ) of India leading to heavy economic yield losses. The anomaly bumpy fruit initially starts on the epidermis of young fruits, but symptoms become more severe on the mature fruits at ripening stage and check the fruit growth due to boron deficiency. It is a major production constraint of quality papaya under alkali (sandy loam) soils of NEPZ. Basal application of borax (as disodium octaborate tetrahydrate) @ 5.0 g/plant was found most effective for management of fruit bumpiness. Despite the fruit deformity, root rot disease occurs as major serious problem in this region may also lead to unpredictable incidences in field ranging from10 to 100% in a single growing season. Symptoms in young trees include yellowing and collapse of leaves resulting in a soft-wet rot of the tap root which often extends into the trunk. In trees of bearing age, the tap root and lateral roots become severely decayed causing plants to topple down after fungal infection and plant die suddenly within 2-3 days. Papaya cultivar ‘Pune Selection-3’ was found most sensitive for these disorder and root rot disease, while ‘Pusa Dwarf’ was tolerant. Integrated approaches including cultural methods such as crop rotation, soil amendments, mounding with organic mulch along with fungicides and bioagents have played an important role in the management of papaya diseases and may protect the farmer’s papaya orchard in NEPZ of India.