1. INTRODUCTION
Papaya (Carica papaya) is a tropical fruit having commercial importance because of its high nutritive and medicinal value. Papaya cultivation had its origin in South Mexico and Costa Rica.
Ripe papaya is usually consumed fresh as a breakfast or dessert fruit.It can also be processed and used in a variety of products such as jams, fruit juices, and ice cream. Papaya is also consumed as a dried fruit.
Papaya is an ingredient in a variety of cuisines throughout the world. Unripe fruits and leaves are consumed as vegetables. Papaya seeds are also used as an ingredient in salad dressings.
The papaya fruit is about 88.8% water, 9.8 % carbohydrate, 0.8% fiber, 0.6% protein, 0.6% ash and 0.1% fat. A 100g serving of papaya has 39 calories, compared to banana's 92 calories. Papayas also contain 16% more vitamin C than oranges and are a good source of vitamin A (about half of that contained in mango).
2. VARIETIES
Papaya varieties are particularly recognized by the shape, size and color of the fruit or its sweetness.
In Rwanda, we have the following varieties of papaya:
1. Mountain papaya: this is a variety that grows at high altitudes with very small fruits only suitable for jam and preserves.
2. Solo: this is a Hawaiian variety that produces small round very sweet fruits with uniform size and shape.
Solo Sunrise: is a Hawaiian variety that produces smooth pear shaped fruit of high quality, weighing 400 to 650 grams. The flesh is reddish orange. This variety is high yielding.
Sunset: Hawaiian variety is a dwarf high yielding plant with red flesh and having same characteristics as ‘Solo’ variety. It is very sweet
Solo sunset: the fruit is red/pink in color and very sweet. Average fruit size is 425 grams. The e fruit is pear shaped, with a small neck at the stem end. Fruit sets at average 1 meter above the ground.
Sunrise (Strawberry pawpaw): it has a deep red-flesh. This variety is resistant to the ring spot virus disease. Fruit.
3. Red Lady: this is large oval-shaped fruit on average weighting 1.8kg. It matures in 7-9 months after transplanting.
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