ABSTRACT
Papaya flowers are borne on inflorescences that appear in the axils of the leaves. Female flowers are held close against the stem as single flowers or in clusters of 2-3 (Chay-Prove et al. 2000). Male flowers are smaller, numerous and are borne on 60-90 cm long pendulous inflorescences (Nakasone and Paull 1998). Bisexual flowers are intermediate between the two unisexual forms (Nakasone and Paull 1998). Male flowers have no ovary and do not produce a fruit. They contain stamens bearing pollen that can pollinate a papaya flower with an ovary, making it to produce a fruit. It is known as polycarpic fruit crop. Flowering and fruiting continue throughout lifespan of plant but economic life is only for 1-3 years. Fruit shows a double sigmoid type growth pattern during development. A range of variation of 4-6 months for first flowering date, 8.5-11 months to first harvest and 1-7 kg for fruit weight were recorded (Ocampo et al. 2006).
