An Assessment on the Heating Mat System (HMS) for Studying the Initial Growth of Papaya (Carica Papaya L.) Seedlings

This study assesses the usefulness of a Heating Mat System (HMS) in regulating different temperatures on the initial growth and survival of papaya (Carica papaya L.) seedlings. Conducted at the Institute of Sustainable Agrotechnology (INSAT), Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), the research project aims to address challenges in the papaya propagation stage due to temperature sensitivity. Papaya seeds were pre-germinated, and the seedlings were grown under controlled temperature conditions using HMS at varying levels (±30 °C and ±45 °C) and compared to ambient conditions (treated as a control). The findings revealed that papaya seedlings exhibited the highest survival rates under ambient conditions, with significant declines observed at elevated temperatures. The study also assessed the effect of using HMS on the seedling biomass (shoot and root dry weight), noting that moderate temperature (±30 °C) led to a higher root-to-shoot ratio, suggesting an adaptive response of papaya seedlings to certain temperature changes. This research highlights the sensitivity of papaya seedlings to temperature changes during the early stage of plant growth and also contributes to knowledge in crop physiology as well as the agricultural engineering field.