NAVEEN KUMAR, SHAILESH KUMAR SINGH*, ANKIT, PANKAJ KUMAR, PALLVI VERMA, MANISH BAKSHI AND ANIS AHMAD MIRZA
Department of Horticulture, School of Agriculture, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara-144 411 (Punjab),
India
*(e-mail: drshaileshhrt@gmail.com; Mobile: 98559 49955)
(Received: November 1, 2025; Accepted: December 15, 2025)
ABSTRACT
Papaya is sensitive to low-temperature stress, which limits its commercial cultivation in subtropical regions like Punjab. Anti-frost agents such as glycine betaine and salicylic acid can help plants withstand cold stress. The current study evaluated the effectiveness of different concentrations (2 and 3 mM) of these agents in preventing frost damage. Growth parameters were measured at: pre-frost (October, November and December) and post-frost (January, February and March). Among both agents, glycine betaine was most effective in preventing frost damage and helped to maintain the highest average plant height (89.19 cm), average petiole length (29.67 cm), leaf number (9.87) and stem girth (59.14, 41.09, and 30.74 mm, respectively, at lower, middle and upper girth) after frost. The most effective concentration of glycine betaine was 3 mM, which showed the highest effectiveness, followed by salicylic acid at 3 mM and glycine betaine at 2 mM.
Key words: Papaya, glycine betaine, salicylic acid, cold stress, frost damage