This plant belongs to one of the vine species, a flower called passion flower blooms as it will be developed after pollination into Passion Fruit. Granadilla, Purple Granadilla or Yellow Passion Fruit is the common name for this fruit. It is native to Pararaguy, India and Northern Argentina in southern Brazil. It can be used in baking of desserts, creams, cakes and ice creams, as an important ingredient. This plant's leaves and tendrils are used in the preparation of medicinal products. There are 500 varieties of Passion Fruit, according to estimates. The Passion fruit's scientific name is Passiflora edulis.
Passion Fruit's Characteristics:
Plant: The plant grows aggressively, and may grow on fence or walls, but the tendrils require rising support.
Leaves or Foliage: They are deeply lobed and finely toothed when the leaves are mature.
Flowers: These are flowers that are self-fruiting. This flower may also be hand-pollinated.
Fruit: The inner portion of the fruit is packed with flesh, and the form of the fruits is spherical. The fruit's diameter would be 4 to 7.5 cm and weighs between 35 and 40 grams. Its skin would be 9 to 13 mm thick.
Seed: There can be 250 seeds in the fruit that are black in color. The length of the seed is 2.4mm approx.
Passion fruit varieties:
These are the popular Passion Fruit species:
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Black Knight
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Golden Giant
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Red Rover
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Edgehill
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Frederick
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Kahuna & Paul Ecke
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Purple Giant & Brazilian Golden.
Requirements for soil and climate for Growing Passion Fruit:
In every kind of soil, i.e. from light to hard sandy loamy soil, this wonderful fruit can be grown. But they do grow well on medium soil types. pH of the soil, should range between 6.5 and 7.5. If the soil is more acidic, the soil should have lime applied to it. Having well-drained soil is important.
Passion fruit plants can be cultivated in both tropical and subtropical climates. Altitudes required for Growing Passion Fruits are 650-1,300 m in India. For Growing Passion Fruits, the rainfall needed should be in between 100-250 cm.
Planting and Land Preparation for Growing Passion Fruit:
As the soil reaches fine soil structure and smooth texture, all the weeds and undesirable substance should be cleared and the soil should be ploughed multiple times. The ploughing can be accompanied by levelling and harrowing of the soil.
Nursery Planting: The ploughing would also aid in fast water penetration and certain nutrients such as farmyard manure can be applied to the holes before planting. It should be 60 cm * 60 cm for the pits or holes.
Main Field: Prior to 2 weeks of planting, the soil should be manured. Then the plant should be transplanted to the main field in the rainy season, the pits should be dug in the dimensions in the main filled if 3 m *2m.
Propagation method and manures: The cross-pollination in passion fruit is supported by the yellow form of the seedling variety and it will solve the self-sterility problem. It is possible to reproduce passion fruit plants by layers or cuttings of mature wood that has 3-4 nodes.
Cross pollination: carpenter bees, bumble bees, honey bees, hummingbirds, wasps and nocturnal moths are carried out by some varieties, allowing the flower to achieve cross-pollination.
Mulching will help the soil to conserve the moisture or hold the moisture well. The plant needs high irrigation and also the soil should be moistured most of the time as it won't harm the seed, light herbicides should be used.
In Growing Passion Fruit, Harvesting Techniques:
When the fruit reaches full maturity and often turns deep purple when the fruit color is green, it means that the fruit is mature and within a few days it is ready to fall on the ground. These may be directly plucked from the tree or harvested from the ground on a regular basis.
In Rising Passion Fruit, Post Harvesting Techniques:
The Passion fruits should be washed after picking and they should be dried in the shade. Storage can cause more fruit loss and fruit weight as well. These fruits of desire should therefore be sealed in bags.
At a temperature of 10°C, they can be preserved for at least 2 to 3 weeks.
The Passion Fruits Yield:
Passion fruit plants have an estimated yield of 9,000-15,000 kg per hectare of land.
