STUDIES ON FLORAL CHARACTERS AND SEX REVERSAL IN CARICA PAPAYA

Abstract

Fruits are the healthiest food with minerals, vitamins, antioxidants etc. Growing fruit trees in home gardens assure fresh and quality fruits. In the present work, cutting the male papaya plant at its base make them to sex reversal and thereby develop into hermaphrodite papaya plant. In the first time of flowering season it produces hermaphrodite flowers but does not produce fruits. All the flowers will drop down, but in second flowering season it develops fruit but they are not bulky, it is elongated. On microscopic studies it is observed that number of ovule development is more in hermaphrodite flowers than in female flower.