The Rainbow and SunUp papaya varieties are University of Hawaii transgenic papaya varieties developed to tolerate the papaya ringspot virus disease in Hawaii. The varieties allow farmers and others to grow the yellow-fleshed Rainbow and salmon-fleshed SunUp papaya in areas that were devastated by the papaya ringspot virus. Everyone who wishes to obtain seeds has to attend an educational session on the transgenic papaya in Hawaii currently conducted by the University of Hawaii Cooperative Extension Service. After completing the educational requirements, commercial farmers can get Rainbow papaya seeds from the Papaya Administrative Committee, and backyard gardeners can obtain Rainbow and SunUp seeds from the University of Hawaii, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, Agricultural Diagnostic Service Center, Seed Program.
For more information, see:
- "UH Rainbow Papaya, A High-Quality Hybrid with Genetically Engineered Disease Resistance"
- "Production Requirements of the Transgenic Papayas 'UH Rainbow' and 'UH Sunup'"
