Control of diseases and pests of papaya crop
1. Every week 2 or 3 trees are falling down - Almost lost 25 trees in last 1-2 months
The symptoms may be collar rot:
Collar rot/Foot rot and wilt (Pythium aphanidermatum)
The disease occurs both in nursery and in main field. The fungus attacks the collar region and causes soft rot. Externally the leaves turn yellow, and drop off. The plant may collapse with a break down at the bottom. The disease will be severe in ill drained conditions.
Control: Bordeaux mixture (1:1) or Metalaxyl + Mancozeb @ 2g/l or 3g. of Cooper oxychloride dissolved in 1 lit. of water may be used to drench the nursery bags to protect against wilting of young seedlings and also the main field. Water stagnation should be avoided.
Management
Uproot and burn the badly damaged plants.
Apply Trichoderma (50g/plant) mixed in well decomposed FYM around the root gone at the time of planting.
Drench copper oxychloride (0.2%) or Bordeaux mixture(1%) @ 2-3 lites/ plant. Repeat the drenching after one month.
Avoid water logging by providing good drainage.
2. Some of the fruits has white fungus inside (attached photos)
The symptoms may be due to water logging as well as allowing fruits beyond over ripening stage. When the fruits are fully grown and start developing a tinge of yellow color at the apex, it is time to harvest them. Another indication of harvesting time is the latex. Once the latex start turning watery instead of being milky, the fruits must be harvested. Not all papaya varieties turn yellow on ripening. Some turn yellow while others remain green even when fully ripe.
3. some fruits has holes and insects inside.
Fruit fly (Bactrocera cucurbitae, Tozotrypana curvicauda)
The fruit flies damage ripe fruits of papaya. Maggots feed in the fruit pulp, causing rotting.
Control
Using of Methyl eugenol traps is effective in controlling fruit flies. If the problem is serious, spray Deltamethrin 0.003% or Dimethoate 0.045% when fruits are fully mature. Do not retain birds’ damamged fruits on trees because they attract fruit flies for oviposition. Collect all fallen infested fruits and destroyed.
Please do contact us for further clarifications
