Performance Of The Solo Papaya Cv Sunrise In Puerto Rico

Two evaluation trials of the Solo papaya cv. Sunrise were conducted in an oxisol in Puerto Rico. The first planting consisted of 46 trees obtained from seeds introduced from Hawaii. The second, of 183 trees obtained from seeds from a local grower. Plants were spaced 1.8m x 3m. A low agricultural input approach was followed. In the first planting, the ratio of hermaphrodites to females was 2s If in the second, 2.5:1. Thirteen percent of the trees in the first planting were eliminated before 4 months due to viruses and micoplasms. In 7 months, 32.6% were discarded. In the second planting, 14.7% were eliminated before 4 months. Female trees in both plantings produced larger fruits but less fruits per trees. Hermaphrodites produced an average of 65 fruits/tree with an average weight of 0.38 kg/fruit from the first planting; females, 35 fruits/tree weighing 0.5 kg/fruit. During 7 months of weekly harvesting, production from the first planting amounted the equivalent of 38,380 kg/ha of marketable fruit. Data on average yield/tree, average yield/week, tree height and stem diameter are presented.