Response of fertigation and foliar sprays on yield and fruit quality of Papaya variety Surya

Papaya (Carica papaya L.) belonging to Caricaceae family has long been recognized as a wonder fruit of the tropics and grown predominantly for its delicious taste and extraction of its digestive constituent papain. As vegetative growth and flowering is simultaneous in this crop, supply of requisite amount of nutrients is necessary during the active growth period, which is possible through fertigation. Knowledge on correct dose of fertilizers to be provided through fertigation is very crucial.

A field experiment was conducted during the period 2018-2020 at Instructional Farm, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram to investigate the response of fertigation and foliar spray on yield and fruit quality of papaya variety Surya. The experiment was laid out in randomised block design with combination of four fertigation doses of 75%, 100%, 125% and 150% RDF of N and K and three foliar sprays (1% 19:19:19, 0.5% ZnSO₄+0.3% borax and water spray) which where compared with soil application of recommended dose of NPK (control 1) and soil application of NPK plant^-1 year^-1 based on soil test data as organic manures as combination of FYM, poultry manure and vermicompost in the ratio of 2:1:1 (control 2).

The findings of the study revealed that application of 100% RD of N and K through fertigation at weekly interval from one MAP to 20 MAP and foliar sprays of 0.5% ZnSO₄ and 0.3% borax at 4^th, 8^th, 12^th and 16^th MAP (T₅) along with basal application of 850 g rock phosphate and 15 kg FYM improved the yield and fruit quality parameters and can be recommended for commercial papaya cultivation.