This paper aimed in identifying great levels of irrigation and nitrogen fertilization that provide the greatest physical and economical productivity of papaya tree Golden cultivar. In the identification of the great levels it was used production function. The experimental study was conducted at Caliman S.A. farm, in the city of Linhares, State of Espírito Santo, Brazil. The experimental design was randomized blocks in a 5x4 factorial scheme in split-plot. Five irrigation water depths (0.5; 0.7; 0.9; 1.1 e 1.3 of the evapotranspiration of reference) were used with daily irrigation frequency and four rates of ammonium sulphate (90, 188, 288 e 377 kg ha-1 month-1). The productivity estimation (t ha-1) as a function of the applied total water depth obtained a significant statistical adjustment (p < 0.05) from the model of second order. The great economical productivity was 94.83 t ha-1, with the maximum depth of 1546.50 mm. Operational net incomes for domestic and international markets were R$ 313.19 e R$ 929.57 ha-1 month-1, respectively.
papaya tree; function production; irrigation management
