Clonal propagation for sustainable production in papaya: A review

Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is a dicotyledonous, polygamous fruit crop bearing staminate, pistillate and hermaphrodite flowers and valued for its ability to produce fruits year-round. Despite its economic significance, conventional seed propagation is constrained by variability in sex expression, yield and fruit quality, largely attributed to the crop’s inherent heterozygosity. These challenges hinder the production of uniform and true-to-type planting material, limiting the efficiency and predictability of commercial cultivation. Clonal propagation has emerged as a promising alternative, enabling the rapid multiplication of genetically uniform, disease-free plants while reducing reliance on natural seed resources. Its use of controlled environments minimizes land requirements, conserves elite germplasm and supports consistent plant quality, making it a more sustainable and scalable approach for papaya production. Asexual techniques such as cuttings, grafting and micropropagation not only address the limitations of seed-based propagation but also facilitate the preservation of desirable traits essential for industry advancement. This review synthesizes current knowledge on these clonal propagation methods, evaluating their advantages and constraints. Additionally, recent advancements, including optimized somatic embryogenesis protocols, bioreactor-based multiplication and improved acclimatization strategies, have further enhanced the efficiency, reliability and commercial viability of clonal papaya production.