Foliar Spray of Boron and Zinc on Papaya Plant

A field experiment (RCBD) was conducted at commercial papaya farm, Chanauli, Chitwan, Nepal from January 2016 to December 2016 to find out the effect of foliar spray of boron and zinc on growth, yield and quality of papaya (Carica papaya L.) cv. Red Lady with eleven treatments viz., T1-Control (No spray), T2-Water Spray, T3-Borax at 0.1 % and ZnSO4 at 0.1 %, T4-Borax at 0.1 % and ZnSO4 at 0.2 %, T5-Borax at 0.1 % and ZnSO4 at 0.3 %, T6-Borax at 0.2 % and ZnSO4 at 0.1 %, T7-Borax at 0.2 % and ZnSO4 at 0.2 %, T8-Borax at 0.2 % and ZnSO4 at 0.3 %, T9-Borax at 0.3 % and ZnSO4 at 0.1 %, T10-Borax at 0.3 % and ZnSO4 at 0.2 % and T11-Borax at 0.3 % and ZnSO4 at 0.3 % and three replications. Significantly higher growth parameters, lesser values regarding the days for flowering, days for fruit set and days to harvest, higher values for yield and quality parameters were recorded with the foliar application of borax at 0.3 % and ZnSO4 at 0.2 %. Similarly, significantly the lowest values for titratable acidity and physiological loss in weight at 3 days 5 days, 7 days and 9 days after storage at room temperature were found in the same treatment.