pawpaw (forum)

peter starts with ...
i have some young pawpaws about
one metre tall.
when i bend over and look up into
the underneath of the canopy there
are small white blobs on the trunk
and leaf stems.
they look just like individual
sugar grains.
if you try to pick them up they just
squash and disapear.
there is no sign of any bugs apart from the odd ant.
about a week ago i brushed them all away but now they have returned.
the plants are in a glass house.
does anybody know what it might be.

Time: 9th April 2008 8:32pm

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About the Author peter30001
adelaide
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recher says...
if it ain't insectoid, then it might well be dried exudant of papain: white blob sounds like papain but rest hmmmm...

cut the stem and watch what happens w thee exudant

papain is an enzyme used in meat tenderizing.

one scientific study confirmed Sri Lankan pharmacopeia. Papain works as a birth control agent by dissolving the protein the fertilized egg uses to attach itself to the uterine wall. Dissolve this attachment and away baby goes.

Of course this research was never followed up underscoring the current problem with research financing.

Since the companies have morning after chemicals that make them profit there is no point developing a better one that generates no profits as one could not patent papain.

Time: 12th April 2008 4:42pm

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peter says...
recher
thanks for your resonse.
these little blobs definately arent
being extruded from the plant, if careful you can move them around on the surface of the plant.
the plant and the surface that these
blobs are sitting are very healthy.
also they are not insects.
the few i have managed to gather on my finger taste a little bit sweet.



Time: 12th April 2008 5:27pm

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recher says...
hmmm..photos!


Time: 13th April 2008 12:02pm

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peter says...
i dont know how to get photos onto
the forum but i can ask someone.
will take a few days to catch up with them.

Time: 13th April 2008 4:27pm

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About the Author peter30001
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peter says...
i only see the odd ant on the plants during the day.
are ants active at night.
if so could they be putting these blobs
there to atract insects.

Time: 13th April 2008 4:32pm

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Scott G says...
Sap-sucking insects often intake an excess of sugars from sap. This excess is secreted and disposed of in a variety of ways. Perhaps some type of sap sucking bug is feeding on your plants when you aren't watching and this is the only trace.

Time: 14th April 2008 7:40pm

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About the Author Scott G
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Anonymous says...
hi scott,
i know what you mean but these plants
do not show any signs of bug sucking what so ever.
they are looking and growing
really, really well.
also these 100s of blobs are only lightly sitting on the surface and can be brushed or blown off.
if they were being secreted i would think they would stick to the surface.
they look like and are the size of small sugar grains.
i have noticed that they consist of a really thin outside skin with moisture
inside, hence very difficult to pick up.
as i have said if you brush them all away they would be back in about a week
although curiouly enough they dont seem to multiply noticably if left on.
i have plants inside and outside and all of them have them, exceot the out side ones dont have anywhere near as many.
will hopefully have some photos up soon.


Time: 15th April 2008 4:40pm

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