INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF PAPAYA IN MEXICO

Isolated control measures have been ineffective for papaya ringspor virus (PRV) in México, so the following actions were included in an integrated crop management (ICM) strategy to attempt PRV control: 1) Seedbeds covered with an insect proof polypropylene mesh; 2) High density papaya plantings (2222 plants/ha) allowed roguing of diseased plants; 3) foliage and soil nutrients to improve plant vigor; 4) Poisoned plant barrier (two lines of corn (Zea mays) and two of Hibiscus sabdariffa L.); 5) Two plastic strips, 5 cm wide and with a shiny gray-metallic color above each papaya row of plants; 6) Biweekly sprays with 1.5% mineral oil.
Severity was assayed with an arbitrary scale in which) 0 = healthy plant; 1= Initial mosaic symptoms; 2= definite mosaic symptoms and 1-5 distorted leaves; 3= Mosaic and 6-10 distorted leaves; 4= Mosaic and more than 11 distorted leaves; 5=4 plus yellow leaf above fruit area; and 6= Dying plants.
Non parametric analysis showed a median of 1.1 in ICM versus 3.11 in control plots, six months after transplanting.
Three months later control plants had a median of 4. Severity increased in ICM plants in the following two evaluations to 4 and 5 respectively.
Despite the deficiencies in roguing, yields in ICM and control plots were 28 and 17 ton/ha respectively.
Aphid populations were similar in both plots.

International Symposium on Tropical Fruits

C. Flores Revilla, E. Garcia, D. Nieto Angel, D. Téliz Ortiz, J.A. Villanueva Jiménez

Carica papaya, PRV, roguing, aphids, vectors, IPM, Integrated crop management

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1995.370.25