Abstract

ALONSO ESQUIVEL, Maruchi et al. Characterization and evaluation of two papaya hybrids in Cuba. Agric. Téc. Méx [online]. 2008, vol.34, n.3, pp.333-339. ISSN 0568-2517.

Papaya is considered one of the fruits of greatest nutritional and digestive value. It is widely used in diets and it has a high acceptance at national and international level. Its culture can constitute a great alternative for agricultural diversification in Cuba regions, due to the existence of areas with favorable edaphoclimatic conditions to develop this fruit tree. Nowadays the problems that affect papaya culture are the low number of commercially developed varieties and the susceptibility to pests and diseases. A viable alternative to solve this problem is to widen the genetic papaya base obtaining hybrids with resistance to pest and disease that will contribute decisively to the culture improvement. In this work, the phenology and productive characterization has been done of two papaya hybrids "HGxMA" and "HGxMR" belonging to the germoplasm bank of this fruit tree, located at the Unidad Cientifico-Tecnologica de Base (UCTB) Jagüey Grande, Matanzas. The results confirm that the hybrids present phenotypical characteristics of the Formosa Group, with elongated fruits in hermaphroditic plants. The fruit average weigtht is 1.80 kg ("HGxMR") and 2.7 kg ("HGxMA"), of range-reddish and yellow pulp, respectively and productivity between 63.4 and 99.8.5 kg planta^-1, characteristic that show the possibility of use them in genetic improvement programs and the direct use by producers. At present, the markert of big papaya fruits is increasing considerably worldwide. For these reasons, these papaya cultivars can constitute an option with greater potentialities to satisfy consumers demand of the culture.

Keywords : Carica papaya L.; cultivars; phenology; productivity.

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