Abstract:

Passion fruit (Passiflora edulis), a native of tropical America, belongs to Passifloraceae family which comprises of about 530 species. Among these, the ‘yellow’ passion fruit (Passiflora edulis flavicarpa), purple passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) and Giant variety (Passiflora quadrangularis) are widely cultivated in Kerala. The passion-fruit plant is a woody vine (climber) with very fast, vigorous, continuous and exuberant growth. Passion fruit grows well in tropical and subtropical regions, where the climate is hot and humid. Passion-fruit can be grown on a range of soils, sands to clay loams. Generally these vines are grown on deep, relatively fertile and well drained sandy clay soil. There are many factors contributing to reduction in longevity and productivity in passion fruit plants, especially diseases of viral, bacterial or fungal etiologies, among which passion fruit woodiness, bacterial spot, root and collar rot, fusarium wilt, anthracnose and scab are the most important.