ASSESSMENT OF NUTRIENT COMPOSITION OF PAPAYA CULTIVARS GROWN UNDER PROTECTED CONDITIONS

MANU TYAGI¹*, HARMINDER SINGH², S.K. JAWANDHA³, P.P.S. GILL^4
1Department of Horticulture, G.B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, 263145, Uttarakhand, India
²Department of Fruit Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 141004, Punjab, India
³Department of Fruit Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 141004, Punjab, India
⁴Department of Fruit Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 141004, Punjab, India
* Corresponding Author : manutyagi89@gmail.com

Received : 08-09-2016     Accepted : 07-10-2016     Published : 06-11-2016
Volume : 8     Issue : 54       Pages : 2822 - 2824
Int J Agr Sci 8.54 (2016):2822-2824

Keywords : Nutrient, Mineral, Papaya, Protected, Red Lady 786
Academic Editor : Dr D S Mishra
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : The authors are thankful to Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana for supporting the field work.
Author Contribution : None declared

Papaya is cultivated on a limited scale in Punjab and other north Indian states, due to climatic vagaries like extreme temperatures, frost injury and viral diseases. But, protected cultivation can alleviate these constraints to some extent. It can also improve the fruit quality and nutrient composition by providing nearly optimum environment. Thus, keeping this in view, the present study analysed five papaya varieties(Surya, Pusa Dwarf, Arka Prabhath, Madhu and Red Lady 786) for nutrient composition i.e. vitamin C, β carotene and mineral content. Significant variations were revealed in terms of vitamin C, β carotene and potassium content. Red Lady 786 recorded highest amount of vitamin C and β carotene. Among minerals, highest potassium content (2.50 g/100g) was found in Surya while calcium and magnesium content was at par in all the varieties. The overall results indicated that the variety Red Lady 786 was most superior in respect of nutrient composition