ISHS Acta Horticulturae 370: International Symposium on Tropical Fruits
ALTERNATIVES FOR INTEGRATED CONTROL OF PAPAYA RINGSPOT |
| Authors: | J.A.M. Rezende, A.S. Costa |
| Abstract:
Papaya plants (Carica papaya L.) cultivated in several tropical and subtropical countries can be systemically infected with different viruses and mycoplasma causing diseases. Among the viruses infecting this species, papaya ringspot virus - type P (PRSV-P) is the most important, since it has worldwide distribution and causes a devastating disease in many areas. As an example of its destructive effect it can be mentioned that in Brazil, the disease was responsible for the almost total disappearance of this crop from the State of São Paulo, which was the biggest papaya producer of the country. The area planted with papaya trees in São Paulo was reduced from approximately 4,374 ha in 1980 to 234 ha in 1989, due to the rapid spread of the virus throughout the State. Due to the economic importance of the papaya crop and the damage caused by papaya ringspot disease, scientists from different parts of the world have made efforts to develop methods to control or minimize the effects of the disease on papaya production. Different approaches have been investigated, such as:
Some of these methods, when applied individually, can provide only partial control of the disease. However, it is possible that the integration of two or more methods can give more permanent control of papaya ringspot. More recently, efforts have been made toward the development of virus resistant papaya through the transfer and expression of the PRSV-P coat protein gene in papaya plants. This alternative control method is discussed in another panel discussion on this Symposium. | |
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