1991). Pawpaw is also an important food source for many native animals, including white tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), raccoon (Procyon lotor), and opossum (Didelphis virginiana).

Pawpaw is still in an early stage of domestication as a tree fruit crop. Interest in pawpaw increased in the early 1900s, when a contest was held by the American Genetics Association looking for “The Best Papaws” (Popenoe, 1916). In the early 1900s, around 56 pawpaw varieties were in cultivation (Peterson, 1991; Peterson, 2003). However, most of these were lost through neglect, abandonment, or lack of record-keeping, and only 20 of these early cultivars are in collections today (Peterson, 2003). Over 40 named cultivars are available today, with a recent resurgence of interest in pawpaw. None of these cultivars are available on their own roots, with cultivars currently propagated by grafting or budding onto seedling rootstock.

As early as 1916, it was observed that widespread shipping and marketing of pawpaw was hindered by the softness of the fruit and short shelf life (Popenoe, 1916). Since then, great progress has been made in understanding the postharvest physiology of pawpaw and developing handling and storage recommendations, but little progress has been made in controlling these factors. Archbold and Pomper (2003) determined that pawpaw is a climacteric fruit, therefore control of ethylene production or sensitivity could help regulate the ripening process. These authors also noted that cold storage had potential in delaying ripening, and studies continue to determine the quality of fruit held in cold storage.

Pawpaw has potential as a new fruit crop for farmers in the southeastern United States. Tobacco is the predominant crop grown by many farmers in the southeast U.S., and as tobacco profits continue to decline, farmers may be interested in supplemental or alternative crops (Gale, 1999). Pawpaw is native to all of the top 10 tobacco-producing states and could be a supplemental niche crop for growers currently dependent on tobacco. The pawpaw fruit has a high value, with fruit selling for around $3 a pound at local farmers markets (Pomper and Layne, 2000). Frozen pawpaw pulp has sold for $6 a pound (per comm. Chris Chmiel, Albany, Ohio), and may be more viable considering the perishability of the fresh fruit. In addition to uses in products such as ice creams,