Soil and plant nutrient management and fruit production of papaya (Carica papaya) in Keaau, Hawaii

Abstract

Variations in papaya yields and fruit quality between papaya growers in Keaau, Hawai’i are mainly caused by differences in nutrient management. The objectives of this study were to (1) identify soil chemical properties and plant mineral compositions and their correlations in commercial papaya orchards; (2) compare soil chemical properties and plant nutrient concentrations between papaya orchards with low, medium and high fruit yields; (3) compare soil chemical properties and plant nutrient composition between orchards with low, medium and high fruit quality; (4) determine the difference in soil chemical properties, plant nutrient composition, and papaya yield and quality between new and long-term papaya land. Between 2016 and 2018, soil and plant tissue samples were collected from 100 commercial papaya orchards. Soil pH, potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) were below and phosphorus (P) was above the recommended range for papaya. Petiole P, K, Ca, and sulfur (S) concentrations were below the recommended range. Fields with low fruit yields and low fruit quality were deficient in P, K, Ca, and zinc (Zn). Long-term papaya land had significantly (p < 0.05) lower soil pH, total carbon (C), K, Ca, Mg, and sodium (Na), and higher concentrations of soil P than new papaya land. Nitrogen (N), boron (B), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) was significantly higher and Ca was significantly lower in petioles from papaya crops grown on long-term papaya land compared to new papaya land.