Division of Fruits and Horticultural Technology, I. A. R. I., New Delhi-110 012.
Papaya (Carica papayu L.) plants produced through tissue culture could be successfully transferred to soil. Eighty per cent of the plantlets survived when they were planted 30 days after root initiation (total 7 weeks of in vitro rooting stage) to a 1: 1: 1 mixture of sand, soil and cowdung. Subjecting plantlets to light above 6000 lux prior to transplantation was detrimental for their establishment in soil. Rooting under non-sterile conditions using elongated shoots holds promise for cost reduction of tissue cultured plants.
