Variability and Spatial Correlation between Phenotypic Attributes and Productivity of Papaya

Aims: The characterisation of the spatial variability of plants attributes associated with productivity is important for the refinement of agricultural management practices and the evaluation of the effects of agriculture on environmental quality. The objective of this research was to study the correlations of phenotypic variables, the productivity of papaya and spatial variability using a geostatistical technique.

Place and Duration of Study: The research was carried out in a commercial crop of papaya (Carica papaya L.) located in the northern state of Espírito Santo, Brazil in a typical cohesive Yellow Ultisol, between June 2010 and June 2011.

Methodology: The following variables were measured in each sampled plant: height of the plants (HPL); diameter of the stem at 0.20 m from the ground (SDI); lower insertion height of the first flowers (IHF); number of leaves totally open (NTL); number of flower buds (NFB); crown diameter (CRD); the height of the first fruit harvest (HFR); the total number of fruits harvested; the mass of the harvested fruit; the average number of fruits produced per plant (NFR); the average fruit mass produced per plant (kg plant-1) (MFP); the average mass of each harvested fruit, in kg (MFR); and the average productivity per ha, in Mg ha-1 (PRD).

Study Design: Data were submitted to the classical exploratory statistical analysis. In order to evaluate the interrelation between the variables under study, the Pearson (P = .05) correlation analysis was performed. The analysis and modeling of the spatial structure were evaluated using the geostatistical technique.

Results and Conclusion: There was a positive correlation between the initial productivity of papaya with the phenotypic variables: The greatest stem diameter, the lowest insertion height of the first flowers and fruits, the greatest foliar coverage and the highest number of fruit mass produced per plant. The maps of spatial distribution of phenotypic variable and the productivity of papaya permitted a visual interpretation of its behaviour in the area and corresponded to the existing correlation between the variables indicating a suitable condition for the delineation of regions with homogeneous characteristics of plants within the crop.