The present research aim to study the effects of liming on early plant development and nutrients concentration in the leaves of papya. The experiment was set out in Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil. It is concluded that: (a) Liming with dolomitic lime promoted early papaya plant development; (b) liming in the hole before planting had no effect on early plant development; (c) lime spreading during soil preparation for planting had a higher influence on nutrient concentration of the leaves than liming in the hole; (d) on ionic competition between cation of Ca and Mg, the later was more effective.