A pilot project in Barbados is testing disease-resistant papaya varieties to address production declines linked to bunchy top disease. The initiative is led by the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute in collaboration with Valley Island Farm in St George.
The project focuses on varietal selection and cultivation practices to improve resilience. Farm manager Ron Hope said, "To revitalise the industry, we've started with basically a varietal trial. I have six different varieties that we have planted, looking to see which one will produce better… but also who will show more resistance to bunchy top, as bunchy top really is the main problem that you get."
Bunchy top affects plant growth and limits fruit production. Hope said, "Bunchy top is what kind of kills out the plant at a very early stage and basically stops your production." The trial covers seven plots across about four acres, or around 1.6 hectares, with approximately 300 plants per plot.
Early results show variation between varieties. "Red Lady seems to be doing the best," Hope said, citing growth rate and plant structure. "[Red Lady variety] was a lot stronger than the others… it grew a bit faster than the others. Also, the branching and the sturdiness of the trunk are very, very important." He added that the variety has shown better fruit quality and lower disease impact.
The trial has moved into production, with harvests already underway. "Right now we are harvesting," Hope said. "I started harvesting two weeks ago… started with a thousand pounds. Now I'm up to like three thousand pounds a week." Produce is sold through wholesalers and direct farm sales at US$2.50 per pound.
Constraints remain, particularly water availability during the dry season. "A major challenge here, now in the dry season, would be water. Papayas love water, and this seems to be what's slowing down my production at this point," Hope said.
CARDI representative Christina Pooler said the trial is part of a broader response to bunchy top. "We know that it's been a prevalent disease that has been affecting papaya production island wide, so we've used this as an opportunity… to see what best agronomic practises we can use to minimise the effect of the disease."
The project includes monitoring plant performance, testing treatments, and managing the pest responsible for disease spread. "We hope to share the results from this particular trial with farmers to help inform them of better practices," Pooler said.
Source: Barbados Today
