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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Hilo, Hawaii » Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center » Tropical Plant Genetic Resources and Disease Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #216543
Title: Papaya

Author
item Gonsalves, Dennis
item FERREIRA, STEPHEN - UNIV OF HAWAII
item SUZUKI, JON - UNIV OF HAWAII
item TRIPATHI, SAVARNI - UNIV OF HAWAII

Submitted to: Compendium of Transgenic Crop Plants
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/7/2007
Publication Date: 5/8/2008
Citation: Gonsalves, D., Ferreira, S., Suzuki, J., Tripathi, S. 2008. Papaya. In: Kole, C., Hall, T.C., editors. Compendium of Transgenic Crop Plants. Oxford UK:Blackwell Publishing. p. 131-162.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Papaya is a tropical crop that is widely grown in household gardens and also commercially in plantations. However, papaya production has been severely limited by papaya ringspot virus (PRSV), the most widespread and damaging virus that affects papaya. In Hawaii, PRSV had been present since the 1940s but caused major damage to the industry starting in 1992 when it was discovered in the Puna district of Hawaii island, where 95% of the state's papaya was being grown. Fortunately, using the concept of pathogen-derived resistance, a genetically engineered papaya with resistance to PRSV was developed in 1991 and commercially released to growers in 1998. The virus-resistant SunUp and Rainbow papaya are now widely grown in Hawaii. This review traces the development, testing, deregulation, and commercialization of the genetically engineered papaya, and its subsequent impact in controlling the damage caused by PRSV in Hawaii. The genetically engineered papaya serves as a model for the development and timely commercialization of specialty crops.