How much does a papaya seedling cost? Latest prices and planting methods

Papaya is also known as Mingzha, Muli, Haitang, etc. It is a shrub or small tree of the genus Chaenomeles in the rose family, commonly cultivated for ornamental purposes. Its fruit is eaten boiled or soaked in sugar syrup, and as medicine it has the effects of sobering up, removing phlegm, regulating qi, and stopping diarrhea. It is cultivated in Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Yunnan, Taiwan, China and other places. Now let us take a look at the price of papaya seedlings and their planting methods!

How much does a papaya seedling cost?

The price of papaya seedlings is about 3 to 5 yuan each, but prices vary greatly depending on the quality, variety, specifications of the seedlings, and the purchasing market. In fact, what people often call papaya is divided into two types: one is edible papaya, and the other is medicinal papaya, but many people now confuse them. Medicinal papaya is Chaenomeles of the rose family, while edible papaya is the tropical fruit papaya (Carica papaya). Therefore, when buying seedlings, attention should be paid to distinguishing them. Usually, under good cultivation conditions, papaya can bloom and bear fruit in 3 to 5 years.

Propagation methods of papaya seedlings

1. Cuttings: When propagating papaya by cuttings, select from the mother tree 1- to 2-year-old branches that are fully developed, free of pests and diseases, and completely lignified as cuttings. Cut the lower end near a node into a slanted surface, dip it quickly in 0.05% rooting powder for 10 to 15 seconds, take it out and let it dry slightly before inserting.

2. Suckers: Many sprouting shoots grow around the root zone of papaya. From September to November, seedlings more than 60 to 80 cm tall with roots and growing vigorously can be dug out as planting stock. The seedlings obtained by this propagation method have a high survival rate after planting, but the propagation coefficient is low.

3. Layering: For papaya layering, in spring or autumn, select a vigorous, pest- and disease-free branch near the ground, bend it down and press it into the soil. Girdle the part pressed into the soil, fix it with a wooden fork, then pile fertile soil on top. After roots grow from the girdled part, separate it into an independent seedling.

Planting methods of papaya seedlings

1. Planting density: Papaya can be planted in spring or autumn. After planting, the trunk can be headed at 70 to 80 cm above the ground. When sprouts appear, promptly remove root suckers and sprouts within 50 cm of the base of the main trunk, and properly thin out 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 maximum fertilizer efficiency. Trees in full fruiting stage should be promptly topdressed with pre-flowering fertilizer, post-flowering fertilizer, and fruit swelling fertilizer, while the amount for young trees should be reduced as appropriate. After fertilizing, irrigate once thoroughly and pay attention to water control during the flowering period. In arid areas, after planting, the tree disk should be covered with plastic film or grass to preserve soil moisture.

3. Flower and fruit management: In the first to second years of papaya, pick off the 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 fruit-setting rate through self-pollination and sets fruit easily. Releasing 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 setting 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. 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 removing competing branches of the central trunk, upright water sprouts within the canopy, overly dense branches, thin and weak branches, and pest- and disease-damaged branches, etc. At positions lacking branches, 1 to 2 buds can be retained for heavy short cutting to promote branching. Aged fruiting branch groups should be retracted and renewed in time.

Disease control of papaya seedlings

1. Viral disease

[Symptoms] New leaves turn yellow, then yellow-green mottling of uneven density appears. The leaf shape becomes smaller, and the leaves wither and fall early. Stems, petioles, and petals have oil-soaked streaks. Although flowers bloom, fruit is not easy to set, and circular or elliptical continuous or discontinuous ring-spot lesions appear on the fruit surface.

[Control] Use disease-tolerant varieties. One month after planting, sow corn between the rows to prevent aphids from flying directly onto papaya plants to spread the virus. Spray aphid-killing pesticide once every 7 to 10 days, alternating pesticides.

2. Damping-off

[Symptoms] Dark brown spindle-shaped spots can occur on both the stem base and middle part of seedlings. As the disease develops, the lesions become depressed and constricted, and finally the diseased seedlings dry up and die.

[Control] Choose seedbeds on high, dry terrain with good drainage that have not previously been planted with vegetables. Strengthen seedbed management. In the early stage of disease, promptly remove diseased seedlings and spray 50% carbendazim 600 times solution and other pesticides to control the spread of the pathogen.

3. Powdery mildew

[Symptoms] Leaves and petioles show granular protrusions, followed by white powdery conidia, causing the leaves to turn yellow and wither.

[Control] Pay attention to ventilation and drainage, maintain reasonable planting density, enhance ventilation and light transmission, and change the microclimate of high temperature, humidity, and stuffiness in the field. In the early stage of disease, spray 15% triadimefon 1500 times solution.

4. Anthracnose

[Symptoms] It damages fruit, branches, and leaves. In the early stage of disease, the “small brown spots” on the fruit rapidly expand into lesions, causing the entire fruit to rot. Diseased fruit produces pink slime under high humidity and becomes mummified fruit after losing water.

[Control] In winter, prune diseased branches, remove mummified fruit and diseased leaves, and burn them in a centralized manner. In winter, spray 3-5 degree lime sulfur mixture; at the end of April, spray 70% thiophanate-methyl 1000 times solution (once every 10 days); at the end of May and beginning of June, spray 75% chlorothalonil 500 times solution more than 2 times.

5. Gray mold

[Symptoms] The affected papaya seedling leaves look as if scalded by hot water. Young stems and tender shoots spread from small brown spots in the early stage of infection into a ring, causing the parts above the lesion to wilt and form damping-off or dead shoot tips.

[Control] Strengthen winter prevention. After seedlings emerge, spray 1:0.5:200 Bordeaux mixture once a week, or 70% thiophanate-methyl 1500 times solution once every 10 days. During the disease period, use 65% zineb wettable powder or 50% benomyl for control.