Library

Is Organic Papaya Production in Hawaii Threatened by Cross-Pollination with Genetically Engineered Varieties?

Summary

In Hawaii, the genetically engineered papaya varieties ‘Rainbow’ and ‘SunUp’ were released in 1998 to provide protection from a damaging disease, papaya ringspot virus, which threatened to destroy the papaya industry. This factsheet addresses the fears of organic papaya producers, who fear that uncontrolled pollination of their plants by genetically engineered papayas in the vicinity will make their fruits unmarketable as organic produce.