Fruit Set and the Developmental Pattern of Fruits of Five Papaya Varieties

The fruit set data of five papaya varieties have indicated that except the variety Coorg Honey Dew where the fruit set was 32.3 per cent, more than fifty per cent set was recorded in other varieties. The pattern of fruit development in papaya followed the double sigmoid type of growth curve. Depending upon the variety, the papaya fruit took 145 to 165 days to attain eating ripe stage from the date of flowering. Fruits took 10 days more, if they were allowed to ripe on the plant itself. In general, increasing pulp: peel ratio with increased age of fruit was observed. This ratio decreased at ripe stage in all varieties studied and was between 8.5 to 9.5.