Vegetative propagation of papaya is possible but is not
widely practiced except in South Africa where rooting of
cuttings is used to eliminate variability in some papaya varieties.
Allan (1995) and Allan and Carlson (2007) showed
how a female clone ‘Honey Gold’ could be vegetatively
propagated, by rooting leafy cuttings, for over 40 years.
These authors claimed that vigorous stock plants, strict sanitation,
adequate bottom heat (30°C), and even distribution
and good control of intermittent mist to ensure leaf retention,
are crucial for success. Allan and Carlson (2007) also
indicated that suitable rooting media consisted of either
perlite or well composted, mature pine bark of varying air
filled porosity (9-30%) and water holding capacity (58-
82%). Up to 75-95% rooting of small to medium-sized
leafy cuttings could be achieved in six to ten weeks during
summer, but slow and poor rooting (20% after 16 weeks)
occurred in certain bark media. The latter was attributed to
insufficient bottom heat, different physiological conditions
in spring, or toxic compounds other than high levels of tan