Production of planting materials

 On seedbed

• Papaya is propagated almost entirely by seeds.
• The best time for raising papaya seedlings is from February to March.
• The seeds are sown in raised seedbeds of 2 m x 1 m made 15 cm above the ground level or in polythene bags.
• A mixture of sand, leaf mould and dried FYM is spread over the seedbed.
• The seeds are sown 2-3 cm deep at a distance of 5 cm in rows 15 cm apart.
• To raise seedlings for planting in a hectare, 250 g seeds are required.
• Seed beds should be watered daily, if there is no rain.

 On polythene bags

• Papaya seedlings raised in polythene bags can stand transplanting better than that raised in seedbeds.
• Polythene bags of 20 cm x 15 cm size and 150 gauge thickness are used as containers.
• They are filled with a mixture of FYM, soil and sand in equal proportions.
• Two seeds are sown in each bag and after germination, only one seedling is retained.

 Vegetative propagation

• Vegetative propagation by mound layering

Planting

• Two months old seedlings are transplanted in the main field in May-June at a spacing of 2 m x 2 m.
• Pits of size 50 cm x 50 cm x 50 cm are taken and filled with topsoil.
• Male plants are removed as soon as they flower and the female and hermaphrodite plants are retained.
• In pure female plantations, one male plant is retained for every 10 female plants.
• Seedlings are shaded to protect them from excessive sunlight until they establish.
• In hermaphrodite or monoecious types male plants may not be required.
• When papaya is grown as the main crop, vegetables can be profitably cultivated as intercrop for about six months from planting of papaya seedlings.