Papaya

High school (ages 12+)
Food & Cooking

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/papaya

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is Papaya known for?High in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, folate, and potassium
2. What is the scientific classification?Genus: Carica, Species: Carica papaya
3. What is the native geographic origin?Southern Mexico and Central America
4. Why do papaya plants have male, female, and hermaphrodite forms?Male plants produce pollen, female plants need pollen to make fruit, and hermaphrodite plants can make fruit by themselves. Farmers often grow hermaphrodite plants because they always produce fruit.
5. How do farmers protect papayas from disease?Scientists breed papayas that resist a virus called papaya ringspot virus. In some places, like Hawaii, they also use genetically modified papayas that are naturally resistant.

Herbaceous Plant: A plant with non-woody stems that typically wither or die back at the end of the growing season.
Proteolytic Enzyme: An enzyme that breaks down proteins into smaller peptides or amino acids.
Cultivar: A plant variety that has been produced in cultivation by selective breeding.
Post-harvest Losses: The reduction in quantity and quality of produce that occurs between harvest and consumption.