Papaya is propagated by seed. To reproduce the desired characteristics it is good to get seeds through montored pollination. The outer layer of the seed coat (sarcotesta) enveloping the seed is taken off because it inhibits germination. This is accomplished by rubbing the seed together against a fine-meshed screen under water. Completely dried seeds stored in air-tight containers remain usable for several years. Seeds are sown in small containers (plastic bags, cans , cups) at the rate of 3-four seeds per container. Use of sterilized soil minimizes losses resulting from nematodes and damping-off fungi. Germination takes 2-three weeks. A further procedure is to scatter the seeds in sterilized nursery beds and to prick out at the 2-3-leaf phase, transferring 3-four seedlings to each container. Seedlings are transplanted about two months following sowing when they achieve the 3-four-leaf period or 20 centimenters height, if possible at the arrival of the rainy season. During transplanting, take care not to agitate the roots. Older seedlings recuperate poorly after planting out.
Papaya needs adequate drainage and is often planted on mounds or ridges. Transplants have to be watered often until they are established. Field spacings are in the order of 3 x two m to 2.fifty x 1.60 m, giving densities of 1667 and 2500 plants/ha respectively. The same densities are obtained by planting in twofold rows spaced (3.25+1.75) x two.40 m or (two.50+1.50) x two m. Thinning to one female or one hermaphrodite plant per hill is done when the plants reach the flowering stage. In the absence of hermaphrodite plants, 1 male plant per 25-100 female plants is retained as a pollinator.
Papaya plants grown from seed yield fruits of unique shapes, dimensions, colour and even taste. Vegetative propagation of papaya delivers a solution to nearly all of these issues. The clone is elected for higher productivity and high-quality quality fruits besides agronomic qualities such as shortness for easy harvesting and excellent resistance to diseases. Propagation of papaya using tissue culture is fast gaining popularity, mainly because tissue culture has numerous advantages over other conventional strategies of propagation. Tissue culture facilitates hasty production of diseasless plants. In Kenya such plants are available from Kenya Agriculture Research Institute, Thika as well as multiple private organizations.
Planting holes of 60 x 60 centimenters and at least 50 centimenters deep are primed with 1 bucket of compost and a handful of rock phosphate is mixed into with the dug out soil and placed bck into around the plant. Mix the soil and water abundantly, then put in mulch around the new plant.
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