Thepapaya (/pəˈpaɪə/,US:/pəˈpɑːjə/),papaw, (/pəˈpɔː/[3]) orpawpaw (/ˈpɔːpɔː/[3])[4] is the plant speciesCarica papaya, one of the 21 accepted species in thegenusCarica of the familyCaricaceae.[5]Papaya is also the name of its fruit. It was first domesticated inMesoamerica, within modern-day southern Mexico andCentral America.[6][7] It is grown in several countries in regions with a tropical climate. In 2022, India produced 38% of the world's supply of papayas.
The wordpapaya derives from the CaribbeanTaíno "paapaía" and is also the name for the plant. Some etymologists argue that the word comes from theMayan "páapay-ya", which means "mottledsapote". However, the most commonly accepted etymology is the Taíno one, although it is possible that both word origins are interrelated. The namepapaw orpawpaw is used alternatively for the fruit only in some regions, that name generally referring toAsimina triloba, an unrelated tree and fruit.[6][8]
The papaya is a small, sparsely branched tree, usually with a singlestem growing from 5 to 10 m (16 to 33 ft) tall, withspirally arranged leaves confined to the top of thetrunk. The lower trunk is conspicuously scarred where leaves and fruit were borne. The leaves are large, 50–70 cm (20–28 in) in diameter, deeplypalmately lobed, with seven lobes. All plant parts containlatex in articulatedlaticifers.[9]
Papayas aredioecious. The flowers are five-parted and highly dimorphic; the male flowers have the stamens fused to the petals. There are two different types of papaya flowers. The female flowers have a superior ovary and five contorted petals loosely connected at the base.[10]: 235
Male and female flowers are borne in the leaf axils; the male flowers are in multiflowereddichasia, and the female ones are in few-flowered dichasia.[citation needed] The pollen grains are elongated and approximately 35 microns in length.[citation needed] The flowers are sweet-scented, open at night, and are wind- or insect-pollinated.[9][11][12]
The fruit is a large berry about 15–45 cm (6–17+3⁄4 in) long and10–30 cm (4–11+3⁄4 in) in diameter.[9]: 88 It is ripe when it feels soft (as soft as a ripe avocado or softer) and its skin has attained an amber to orange hue. Along the walls of the large central cavity are attached numerous black seeds.[13]
Native to tropical America, papaya originates from southern Mexico and Central America.[6][7][9] Papaya is also considered native to southern Florida, introduced by predecessors of theCalusa no later than AD 300.[18] Spaniards introduced papaya to theOld World in the 16th century.[6] Papaya cultivation is now nearlypantropical, spanning Hawaii, Central Africa, India, and Australia.[6]
Wild populations of papaya are generally confined to naturally disturbed tropical forests.[7] Papaya is found in abundance onEvergladeshammocks following major hurricanes, but is otherwise infrequent.[18] In the rain forests of southern Mexico, papaya thrives and reproduces quickly in canopy gaps while dying off in the mature closed-canopy forests.[7]
Papaya ringspot virus is a well-known virus within plants in Florida.[6] The first signs of the virus are yellowing and vein-clearing of younger leaves and mottling yellow leaves. Infected leaves may obtain blisters, roughen, or narrow, with blades sticking upwards from the middle of the leaves. The petioles and stems may develop dark green greasy streaks and, in time, become shorter. The ringspots are circular, C-shaped markings that are a darker green than the fruit. In the later stages of the virus, the markings may become gray and crusty. Viral infections impact growth and reduce the fruit's quality. One of the biggest effects that viral infections have on papaya is taste. As of 2010, the only way to protect papaya from this virus isgenetic modification.[19]
Thepapaya mosaic virus destroys the plant until only a small tuft of leaves is left. The virus affects both the leaves of the plant and the fruit. Leaves show thin, irregular, dark-green lines around the borders and clear areas around the veins. The more severely affected leaves are irregular and linear in shape. The virus can infect the fruit at any stage of its maturity. Fruits as young as two weeks old have been spotted with dark-green ringspots about 1 inch (25 mm) in diameter. Rings on the fruit are most likely seen on either the stem end or the blossom end. In the early stages of the ringspots, the rings tend to be many closed circles, but as the disease develops, the rings increase in diameter consisting of one large ring. The difference between the ringspot and the mosaic viruses is the ripe fruit in the ringspot has a mottling of colors, and the mosaic does not.[20]
The fungusanthracnose attacks papaya, especially mature fruits. The disease starts small with very few signs, such as water-soaked spots on ripening fruits. The spots become sunken, turn brown or black, and may get bigger. In some of the older spots, the fungus may produce pink spores. The fruit ends up being soft and having an off flavor because the fungus grows into the fruit.[21]
The funguspowdery mildew occurs as a superficial white presence on the leaf's surface, which is easily recognized. Tiny, light yellow spots begin on the lower surfaces of the leaf as the disease starts to make its way. The spots enlarge, and white powdery growth appears on the leaves. The infection usually appears at the upper leaf surface as white fungal growth. Powdery mildew is not as severe as other diseases.[22]
The fungus-like oomycetePhytophthora causes damping-off,root rot, stem rot, stem girdling, and fruit rot. Damping-off happens in young plants by wilting and death. The spots on established plants start as white, water-soaked lesions at the fruit and branch scars. These spots enlarge and eventually cause death. The disease's most dangerous feature is the fruit's infection, which may be toxic to consumers.[21] The roots can also be severely and rapidly infected, causing the plant to brown and wilt away, collapsing within days.
Thepapaya fruit fly lays its eggs inside of the fruit, possibly up to 100 or more eggs.[6] The eggs usually hatch within 12 days when they begin to feed on seeds and interior parts of the fruit. When thelarvae mature, usually 16 days after being hatched, they eat their way out of the fruit, drop to the ground, andpupate in the soil to emerge within one to two weeks later as mature flies. The infected papaya turns yellow and drops to the ground after the papaya fruit fly infestation.[21]
Thetwo-spotted spider mite is a 0.5-mm-long brown or orange-red or a green, greenish-yellow translucent oval pest. They all have needle-like piercing-sucking mouthparts and feed by piercing the plant tissue with their mouthparts, usually on the underside of the plant. The spider mites spin fine threads of webbing on the host plant, and when they remove the sap, the mesophyll tissue collapses, and a small chlorotic spot forms at the feeding sites. The leaves of the papaya fruit turn yellow, gray, or bronze. If the spider mites are not controlled, they can cause the death of the fruit.[21]
The papaya whitefly lays yellow, oval eggs that appear dusted on the undersides of the leaves. They eat papaya leaves, therefore damaging the fruit. There, the eggs developed into flies in three stages called instars. The first instar has well-developed legs and is the only mobile immature life stage. The crawlers insert their mouthparts in the lower surfaces of the leaf when they find it suitable and usually do not move again in this stage. The next instars are flattened, oval, and scale-like. In the final stage, the pupal whiteflies are more convex, with large, conspicuously red eyes.[21]
Papayas are one of the most common hosts for fruit flies likeA. suspensa, which lay their eggs in overripe or spoiled papayas. The larvae of these flies then consume the fruit to gain nutrients until they can proceed into the pupal stage. This parasitism has led to extensive economic costs for nations in Central America.[23]
Historical accounts from 18th-century travelers and botanists suggested that papaya seeds were transported from the Caribbean toMalacca and then to India. From Malacca or the Philippines, papaya spread throughout Asia and into the South Pacific region. Credit for introducing papaya to Hawaii is often given toFrancisco de Paula Marín, a Spanish explorer and horticulturist, who brought it from the Marquesas Islands in the early 1800s. Since then, papaya cultivation has expanded to all tropical countries and many subtropical regions worldwide. Today, papaya is grown extensively across the globe, owing to its adaptability to various climates and its popularity as a tropical fruit.[24]
Papaya plants grow in three sexes: male, female, andhermaphrodite. The male produces onlypollen, never fruit. The female produces small, inedible fruits unless pollinated. The hermaphrodite can self-pollinate since its flowers contain both malestamens and femaleovaries. Almost all commercial papaya orchards contain only hermaphrodites.[12]
Originally from southern Mexico (particularlyChiapas andVeracruz),Central America, northernSouth America, and southern Florida[6][18] the papaya is now cultivated in most tropical countries. In cultivation, it grows rapidly, fruiting within three years. It is, however, highly frost-sensitive, limiting its production totropical climates. Temperatures below −2 °C (29 °F) are greatly harmful, if not fatal. In Florida, California, and Texas, growth is generally limited to the southern parts of those states. It prefers sandy, well-drained soil, as standing water can kill the plant within 24 hours.[25]
Two kinds of papayas are commonly grown. One has sweet, red, or orange flesh, and the other has yellow flesh; inAustralia, these are called "red papaya" and "yellow papaw," respectively.[26] Either kind, picked green, is called a "green papaya."[citation needed]
The large-fruited, red-fleshed 'Maradol,' 'Sunrise,' and 'Caribbean Red' papayas often sold in U.S. markets are commonly grown in Mexico andBelize.[6][27]
Carica papaya was the firsttransgenicfruit tree to have itsgenome sequenced.[30] In response to thepapaya ringspot virus outbreak in Hawaii in 1998, genetically altered papaya were approved and brought to market (including 'SunUp' and 'Rainbow' varieties.) Varieties resistant to PRV have some DNA of this virus incorporated into the plant's DNA.[31][32] As of 2010, 80% of Hawaiian papaya plants were genetically modified. The modifications were made byUniversity of Hawaiʻi scientists, who made the modified seeds available to farmers without charge.[33][34]
In transgenic papaya, resistance is produced by inserting the viral coat protein gene into the plant's genome. Doing so seems to cause a similar protective reaction in the plant tocross-protection, which involves using an attenuated virus to protect against a more dangerous strain. Conventional varieties of transgenic papaya has reduced resistance against heterologous (not closely related to the coat gene source) strains, forcing different localities to develop their own transgenic varieties. As of 2016, one transgenic line appears able to deal with three different heterologous strains in addition to its source.[35][29]
In 2023, world production of papayas was 14 milliontonnes, led by India with 37% of the total (table).
Global papaya production grew significantly over the early 21st century, mainly as a result of increased production in India and demand by the United States.[37] The United States is the largest importer of papayas worldwide.[11]
In South Africa, papaya orchards yield up to 100 tonnes of fruit per hectare.[38]
Papaya releases a latex fluid when not ripe, possibly causing irritation and an allergic reaction in some people. Because the enzymepapain acts as anallergen in sensitive individuals,[39] meat that has been tenderized with it may induce anallergic reaction.[6]
The papaya plant is known by various regional names in India, reflecting its widespread cultivation and use in local cuisines and traditional medicine.
The ripe fruit of the papaya is usually eaten raw, without skin or seeds.[6] The black seeds are edible and have a sharp, spicy taste.[6] The unripe green fruit is usuallycooked due to itslatex content.
Both green papaya fruit and its latex are rich in papain,[6] a cysteine protease used for tenderizing meat and other proteins, as practiced currently byindigenous Americans, people of the Caribbean region, Pacific Islands, and the Philippines.[6] It is included as a component in some powdered meat tenderizers.[6] Papaya is not suitable for foods which set due togelatin (such asjelly oraspic) because theenzymatic properties of papain prevent gelatin from setting.[42]
Raw papaya pulp is 88% water, 11%carbohydrates, and contains negligiblefat andprotein (table). In a reference amount of 100 g (3.5 oz), papaya fruit provides 43kilocalories and is a significant source ofvitamin C (69% of theDaily Value, DV) and a moderate source offolate (10% DV), but otherwise has a low content ofmicronutrients (table).
Green papaya is used inSoutheast Asian cooking, both raw and cooked. In some parts of Asia, the young leaves of the papaya are steamed and eaten like spinach.
In Myanmar, the unripe papaya are cut into slices and dipped into sour, fermented, or spicy seasonings and dips. In Myanmar and Thai recipes, the unripe papaya are cut into thinner slices to make papaya salad.[45] The reason the unripe papaya is used is because of the firmer and crunchier texture.
Papayas became a part ofFilipino cuisine after being introduced to the islands via theManila galleons.[46][47] Unripe or nearly ripe papayas (with orange flesh but still hard and green) arejulienned and are commonly pickled intoatchara, which is ubiquitous as a side dish to salty dishes.[48] Nearly ripe papayas can also be eaten fresh asensaladang papaya (papaya salad) or cubed and eaten dipped in vinegar or salt. Green papaya is also a common ingredient or filling in various savory dishes such asokoy,tinola,ginataan,lumpia, andempanada, especially in the cuisines of northernLuzon.[49][50][51]
InIndonesian cuisine, the unripe green fruits and young leaves are boiled for use as part oflalab salad, while the flower buds aresautéed andstir-fried with chilies and green tomatoes asMinahasan papaya flower vegetable dish.
^ab"Papayas"(PDF). Western Institute for Food Safety & Security, University of California at Davis. 2016. Retrieved10 September 2017.
^abChia CL, Manshardt RM (October 2001)."Why Some Papaya Plants Fail to Fruit"(PDF).Fruits and Nuts. College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa:1–2. Retrieved1 April 2015.
^Rivera-Pastrana D, Yahia E, González-Aguilar G (2010). "Phenolic and carotenoid profiles of papaya fruit (Carica papaya L.) and their contents under low-temperature storage".J Sci Food Agric.90 (14):2358–65.Bibcode:2010JSFA...90.2358R.doi:10.1002/jsfa.4092.PMID20632382.
^Sivinski J, Calkins CO, Baranowski R, et al. (April 1996). "Suppression of a Caribbean Fruit Fly (Anastrepha suspensa(Loew) Diptera: Tephritidae) Population through Augmented Releases of the ParasitoidDiachasmimorpha longicaudata(Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)".Biological Control.6 (2):177–185.Bibcode:1996BiolC...6..177S.doi:10.1006/bcon.1996.0022.ISSN1049-9644.
^Mishra R, Gaur RK, Patil BL (2016). "Current Knowledge of Viruses Infecting Papaya and Their Transgenic Management".Plant Viruses: Evolution and Management. pp. 189–203.doi:10.1007/978-981-10-1406-2_11.ISBN978-981-10-1405-5.
_-_Philippines.jpg)
