What's eating my red lady papaya?

Red Lady is a hybrid papaya bred partly for Papaya Ringspot Virus tolerance, but it remains susceptible to the papaya mealybug, spider mites, and whitefly at the insect level. The mealybug is the top direct pest; whitefly management is still critical to protect the fruit from PRSV where tolerance is incomplete.

White waxy clusters on stems and young leaves; severe infestations cause chlorosis, leaf curl, and stunted plants. Apply neem oil or insecticidal soap to all plant surfaces; release biological control agents (Acerophagus papayae) where available; isolate infested plants.

Honeydew and sooty mould; vectors Papaya Ringspot Virus — even Red Lady's tolerance may be broken by high virus pressure. Reflective mulch around the base; yellow sticky traps; neem oil or insecticidal soap sprays on leaf undersides.

Yellow-bronze stippling on leaves; webbing in leaf axils; leaves dry and fall in hot, dry weather. Maintain consistent soil moisture; spray leaf undersides with neem oil or horticultural soap; introduce predatory mites (Phytoseiidae) in enclosed environments.