Grower-led commercial papaya variety evaluation (PP23002)

Summary: 

This project is enhancing the Australian papaya industry through the evaluation of new red and yellow papaya varieties. These varieties  have been bred with a dual focus: improving traits that support on-farm productivity and aligning with consumer preferences. The project builds on the earlier breeding work and seeks to validate the performance of these new varieties under commercial production conditions. 

Currently, the Australian papaya market is dominated by two main types: the red-fleshed papaya (approximately 85% of production) and the yellow-fleshed pawpaw (around 15%). Within these categories, the RB1 (red) and 1B (yellow) varieties are the most widely grown. This project introduces new alternatives that could offer superior agronomic performance and market appeal. 

To ensure relevance and practical outcomes, the project takes a collaborative approach with growers. It includes the establishment of commercial on-farm trials, a co-design process, and the formation of a Project Reference Group to guide implementation. From this collaboration, parent lines developed in the project will be bulked up and stored to maintain continuity and support future seed production. 

The anticipated impact on growers includes access to improved varieties that may enhance productivity, disease resistance, and consumer acceptance. Growers will be actively involved in evaluating these varieties, contributing to a documented comparison against current standards and participating in two-way feedback on performance. This participatory model ensures that the outcomes are grounded in real-world production needs.