Postharvest Behavior of Three Papaya Cultivars Produced in Mesh Greenhouse in Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain) - Acta Hort., 740, p.295-302, 2007 .

The location of the Canary Islands and its climatological conditions make it possible to produce tropical and subtropical fruits. The papaya production has to be under greenhouses due principally to the papaya ring spot potyvirus incidence (PRSV). This disease devastates the papaya grown in open air plantations. Furthermore, the greenhouse protects the plants from the frequent trade winds and the low temperatures in the winter season. The objective of this study is to determine which of the three papaya cultivars ('Baixinho de Santa Amalia', 'BH-65' and 'Sunset')will show the best adaptation to the cultivation conditions under mesh greenhouse and postharvest behavior for future exportation markets (eight days at 13ºC and further storage at 20ºC till fully ripened). The papaya quality at stage 1 (yellow/orange break color)and 6 (fully yellow/orange)was analyzed. Each cultivar was characterized (weight, length, equatorial perimeter,


CARICA PAPAYA
CHARACTERIZATION
RIPENING
QUALITY
RESPIRATION
ETHYLENE