BRAZILIANS Tarcísio Foltz and Gilberto Franz have discovered the world’s tallest papaya tree, standing at 14.55 meters tall. In May last year, Foltz realized that the papaya tree located on his farm in Nova Aurora, Paraná, Brazil, was much taller than any other he had ever seen. He then invited his friend Franz to measure the impressive tree using a drone. After three months, the duo decided to officially measure the tree, and with the help from a team of experts, the tree’s height was confirmed in September last year. As they prepared to report the measurement to Guinness World Records, they found frost on the tree, causing it to lose its fruits and leaves. The Guinness guidelines state that the tree needs to be alive to qualify for the record, meaning Tarcísio and Gilberto had to patiently wait nearly four months for it to recover from the frost damage and start growing its leaves. The papaya tree boasts a tall stem and large leaves that grow in a spiral. It usually takes about three years to reach maturity and begin producing fruit, which form in a cluster inside the tree’s large protective leaves. The record holders are proud of this title and hope to spread Nova Aurora’s name throughout the world. They also want the city’s inhabitants to feel gratitude and take pride in their roots. Papaya is an exotic fruit, with a sweet taste similar to that of an apricot. In Brazil, the fruit is not only consumed in its natural state, but is also used to prepare ice cream, juice, fruit drinks and dessert creams. It is typical of tropical and subtropical regions, so it adapts well to Brazil’s climate, making the country one of the largest papaya producers in the world. The previous record holder for the tallest papaya tree in the world, which was grown in India by Jhantu Paul, was confirmed in 2017 and measured 14.08 meters tall.(SD-Agencies) | 