What are the propagation methods for papaya?
When it comes to papaya, I think everyone is very familiar with it. Papaya has many nutritional benefits and is very good at beautifying the skin, so many women love to eat papaya, which is why papaya is grown so widely in our country.
Propagation methods for growing papaya
Propagation methods: Papaya is mainly propagated by cuttings, but layering and suckering can also be used.
1. Cutting propagation
Cuttings can be raised in February to March, June to July, and November every year. However, cuttings taken in November have the highest survival rate, reaching 85%. When taking cuttings, select from the mother tree 1- to 2-year-old branches that are well developed, free of pests and diseases, and fully lignified, with a diameter between 0.5 and 0.8 cm, then cut them into 15-20 cm cuttings, each with more than 3 nodes. Cut the lower end near a node into a slanted surface, dip the cut surface quickly in 0.05% rooting powder or 0.05%-0.1% naphthaleneacetic acid for 10-15 seconds, take it out and let it dry slightly, and then it can be inserted. Before inserting, first use a small wooden stick to make guide holes on the prepared seedbed surface at a row spacing of 15 cm × 7 cm, then gently insert more than half of the cutting into the hole, press it firm, water it thoroughly, and cover with soil level with the bed surface. After inserting, cover the bed with an arched plastic film tunnel to keep it warm and moist. When the soil is dry, water it regularly to keep the nursery bed moist. If the weather is severely cold, add straw curtains on top of the tunnel for insulation; on clear and warm days, uncover the film for ventilation. By the following year at Qingming, when the weather warms up, the cuttings will take root and sprout, and in mid-to-late April the arched tunnel can be removed. Strengthen management, timely cultivate, weed, and topdress, and after one year of cultivation, when the seedlings are 70-80 cm tall, they can be planted.
2. Suckering propagation
Papaya has strong suckering ability, and many suckers grow around the root crown. From September to November each year, dig out seedlings with roots that are more than 60-80 cm tall and growing vigorously to use as seedlings for planting. The seedlings obtained by this propagation method have a high survival rate after planting, but the propagation coefficient is low and a large number of seedlings cannot be obtained.
3. Layering propagation
In spring or autumn each year. On the plant, select branches that are growing vigorously, free of pests and diseases, and near the ground, bend them down and press them into the soil. Girdle the part pressed into the soil, fix it with a wooden fork, then pile fertile soil on top. After the girdled part grows roots, separate it from the mother plant as an individual seedling to use for planting.
Cultivation and management of papaya
Papaya fertilization is mainly based on farmyard manure. In addition to applying sufficient base fertilizer before planting, fertilization can begin 15 days after planting when new roots have grown, and care should be taken to apply frequently and lightly. After flowering and fruiting, phosphate and potassium fertilizers should be applied as a topdressing to help fruit set and strengthen the fruit. Soil should be hilled up in time to enhance papaya's wind and drought resistance. Papaya dislikes waterlogging, so drainage should be noted during the rainy season, and in dry seasons watering can be done in the morning and evening. Papaya is a tropical fruit tree and is susceptible to low-temperature damage. In addition to strengthening management and increasing phosphate and potassium fertilizer, measures such as hilling soil around the tree base, covering with rice straw, and spraying the whole plant with water before the sun comes out after frost can also reduce frost damage. For plants bearing more fruit, thin the fruit appropriately to help them overwinter and resist cold. In terms of pest and disease control, attention should be paid to thoroughly controlling aphids, which are the main vector of mosaic disease; in addition, promptly remove diseased fruits, diseased leaves, and fallen branches and diseased leaves on the ground, and frequently spray 50% carbendazim 1000-fold solution or other fungicides to control anthracnose and leaf spot disease.
Growing conditions for papaya trees
1. Soil: Papaya trees are not strict about soil quality and grow better in deep, loose, fertile, well-drained sandy soil; low-lying waterlogged places are not suitable for planting.
2. Water: Papaya trees prefer semi-dry and semi-moist conditions. If the soil is too wet before and after the flowering period, the flowering period will be short; if the soil is dry after fruit set, the fruit will appear shriveled; if the soil is too wet during the fruit ripening period, fruit drop will occur.
3. Light: Papaya trees are not shade-tolerant, so a wind-sheltered, sunny location can be chosen for planting.
4. Temperature: Papaya trees prefer a warm environment and can overwinter outdoors in the Yangtze-Huai River basin.
Planting methods for papaya seedlings
1. Planting density: Papaya can be planted in spring or autumn. After planting, the trunk can be headed at 70-80 cm above ground. When sprouting, promptly remove root suckers and sprouts within 50 cm of the base of the main trunk, and appropriately thin overly dense new shoots. In mountainous and hilly poor land, the row spacing is generally 2×3 m; on flat land with good fertilizer and water conditions, the row spacing is preferably 3×4 m; when intercropped with grain and vegetables, the row spacing is preferably 5×5 m.
2. Water and fertilizer management: In papaya orchards, base fertilizer is mostly applied in autumn, accounting for about 70% of the total annual fertilizer application. Topdressing should be carried out according to the growth and fruiting status of the papaya tree during the period of greatest fertilizer efficiency. Trees in full fruit period should be topdressed in time with pre-flowering fertilizer, post-flowering fertilizer, and fruit-swelling fertilizer, while the amount of fertilizer for young trees should be reduced as appropriate. After fertilizing, irrigate thoroughly once and pay attention to controlling water during the flowering period. In arid areas, after planting, the tree disk should be covered with plastic film or grass to preserve moisture.
3. Flower and fruit management: In the first to second year of papaya, pick off flowers at any time. In the third spring, strengthen management and apply pre-flowering fertilizer, fruit-swelling fertilizer, and autumn fertilizer well. Papaya has a high self-pollination fruit-setting rate and sets fruit easily. Placing bees or artificial pollination during the flowering period can increase the fruit-setting rate. Papaya fruit has a self-thinning phenomenon, and poorly pollinated fruit will fall off automatically. After fruit set in early May each year, it is enough to thin out small fruit and deformed fruit.
4. Training and pruning: After grafting, the central trunk of papaya is relatively upright, and after slight pruning it can be trained into a cup shape, cylindrical shape, or slender spindle shape, generally mainly the slender spindle shape. Pruning is mainly thinning. During the growing season, pay attention to cutting off competing branches on the central trunk, upright vigorous branches within the crown, overly dense branches, thin and weak branches, and pest- and disease-damaged branches. In places lacking branches, 1-2 buds can be retained for heavy short cutting to promote branching, and aged fruiting branch groups should be promptly retracted and renewed.
Papaya is mainly grown in the south of our country, which shows that papaya is a subtropical fruit. If fruit farmers want to grow papaya, they must first understand papaya's planting methods. Only by understanding papaya's growth habits and its planting methods can its planting yield be greatly increased.