Passiflora edulis

Passiflora edulis, commonly known aspassion fruit, is avinespecies ofpassion flowernative to the region of southernBrazilthroughParaguayto northernArgentina.It is cultivated commercially intropicalandsubtropicalareas forits sweet, seedy fruit.
The fruit is apepo, a type ofbotanical berry, round to oval, either yellow or dark purple at maturity, with a soft to firm, juicy interior filled with numerous seeds. The fruit is both eaten and juiced, with the juice often added to other fruit juices to enhance aroma.
The passion fruit is so called because it is one of the manyspeciesofpassion flower, the English translation of the Latin genus name,Passiflora.Around 1700, the name was given bymissionariesinBrazilas an educational aid while trying to convert the indigenous inhabitants toChristianity; its name wasflor das cinco chagasor "flower of thefive wounds" to illustrate thecrucifixionof Christ, with other plant components also named after an emblem in thePassion of Jesus.
Passiflora edulisis aperennialvine; tendrils are borne in leafaxils, and have a red or purple hue when young. There are two main varieties: a purple-fruited type,P. edulisf.edulis, and the yellow-fruitedP. edulisf.flavicarpa.
Usually the vine produces a single flower 5–7.5 cm wide at eachnode.The flower has 5 oblong, greensepalsand 5 whitepetals.The sepals and petals are 4–6mm in length and form a fringe.The base of the flower is a rich purple with 5stamens, anovary, and a branchedstyle.The styles bend backward and thestigmas, which are located on top of the styles, have a very distinct head.
The fruit produced is a pepo and entirely fleshy (making it botanically aberry) and is spherical to ovoid.The outside color of the pepo ranges from dark purple with fine white specks to light yellow.The fruit is 4–7.5 cm in diameter; purple fruits are smaller, weighing around 35 grams, while yellow fruits are closer to 80 grams.The smooth, leathery rind is 9–13 mm thick, including a thick layer ofpith.Within the pepo, there are typically 250 brown seeds, each 2.4 mm in length.Each seed is surrounded by a membranous sac filled with pulpy juice.The flavor of the juice is slightly acidic and musky.The passion fruit's flavor can be compared to theguavafruit.
Several distinct varieties of passion fruit with clearly differing exterior appearances exist.The bright yellowflavicarpavariety, also known as yellow or golden passion fruit, can grow up to the size of agrapefruit, has a smooth, glossy, light, and airy rind, and has been used as arootstockfor purple passion fruit in Australia.The dark purpleedulisvariety is smaller than alemon, though it is less acidic than yellow passion fruit, and has a richer aroma and flavour.
Passionfruit has a variety of uses related to its favored taste as whole fruit and juice.
Raw passion fruit is 73% water, 22%carbohydrates, 2%proteinand 0.7%fat(table). In a reference amount of 100 g (3.5 oz), raw passion fruit supplies 97caloriesand is a rich source (20% or more of theDaily Value, DV) ofvitamin C(33% DV) and a moderate source (10–19% DV) ofriboflavinandpotassium(table). No othermicronutrientsare in significant content.
Several varieties of passion fruit are rich inpolyphenolcontent.Yellow varieties of the fruit were found to containprunasinand othercyanogenic glycosidesin thepeeland juice.
Passion fruit is widely grown intropicalandsemitropicalregions of the world.In theUnited States, it is cultivated inFlorida,Hawaii, andCalifornia.They generally have to beprotected from frost, although certain cultivars have survived light frosts after heavy pruning of affected areas.
The flower of the yellow-fruited form of the passion fruit plant isself-sterile, while that of the purple-fruited form isself-compatible.In California, it is reported thatpollinationof flowers is most effective when done by thecarpenter bee.There are three types of yellow passion fruit flowers, classified by curvature of style.To help assure the presence of carpenter bees, some gardeners place decaying logs near the vines, which provide shelter for the bees.
Passion fruit woodiness virusis one of the most well-known viruses to the passion fruit. It belongs to thePotyvirusgroup and can attack a plant at any age from nursery to mature plants. Some features include yellow leaves that display distortion in the leaf length and shape. As well as affecting the leaf, this virus influences fruit shape and size. Affected fruits become stone-like and much smaller than normal, with many fruits becoming scabbed and cracked. The virus is spread by sap-sucking insects such as aphids and mites. Woodiness can also spread through vegetation propagation such as infected scions or contaminated tools. There is no chemical control for this virus once the plant is infected, but the use of clean planting material can reduce its dissemination.
One of the most serious viruses pertaining to vegetation is thecucumber mosaic virus. In the passion fruit, this virus appears with yellow mottling on leaves starting at random points on the vine and diminishing in intensity towards the tip. Expanding leaves typically become twisted, curl downward, and develop a "shoestring" appearance as a result of a restriction of the leaf surface. It is mobile and can spread easily through interactions with other plants such as brushing between leaves. This virus is naturally transmitted through aphids and can also be transmitted mechanically through seedlings. Varietal resistance is the primary management tool, and eliminating weeds and infected perennial ornamentals that may harbor the virus is critical. Once the plant has been infected, there is no possible management or control for the virus.
Overshooting is the term used whenPhytoplasma, a specializedbacterium, attacks thephloemof a plant.Phytoplasmainfection is characterized bychloroticsmall leaves, shortening ofinternodes, excessive lateralshootsand abnormal flowers. Although there have been reports of this disease within the passion fruit plant,many infected plants are affected without visible signs of disease. AlthoughPhytoplasmacan be spread throughgrafting, it can be inhibited by periodic inspection of plant nurseries and areas that have had past infections.Overshooting responds to treatment withtetracycline, a commonbroad-spectrumantibiotic.
Bacterial leaf spot, which causesveinclearing, forms bright yellow colonies causing infection and leaf wilt and, eventually, deterioration of fruit pulp, especially of young fruits. Under favorable conditions for the bacteria, infection occurs through natural openings or wounds from other pathogens that affect leaf inter-cellular spaces. Fertilizers or a copper chloride andmancozebmixture can control the intensity of the disease, but are not a cure.
The bacterial grease-spot of the passion fruit is caused byPseudomonas syringae.It appears with olive-green to brown greasy-looking spots or brown, sunken circular lesions. On a later stage, a hard crust can cover the lesions showing a chlorotic halo. Affecting mainly thestomata, the grease-spot thrives in high temperatures and high relative humidity. To avoid infection, measures that may be adopted include planting seeds from healthy plants and using existing healthy areas.Fungicidecontrols can aid in preventing further infection.
Collar rotdisease is caused by the fungusFusarium solani. It is characterized bynecroticlesions at the collar region, browning of the stem at soil level, and dark discoloration of the stem. The rotting stem interferes with food and water transport within the plant, leading to withering of the plant until death. Infection occurs mostly through contaminated soil and infected plants which cause the plants to survive for only a few weeks. There are no chemical controls. Management includes planting seedlings in unaffected areas and using clean tools.
The fungus calledfusarium wiltcommonly occurs in adult plants and is caused byFusarium oxysporum. The pathogen has ability to survive for long periods, penetrating roots, invading thexylem, and preventing the transport of water and nutrients to other organs of the plant. Once infected, this disease causes leaves to yellow and browning of the vascular system until they wilt and die. It occurs in any type of soil infecting all plants. Management of crops includes planting clean seedlings, uprooting and burning infected plants, and using sterilized tools.
Theanthracnose, a canker caused byColletotrichum gloeosporiodes, is a pathogen of the passion fruit creating dark and sunken lesions of thetrunk.By attacking mature passion fruit trees, these lesions cause intense defoliation and fruit rot. Many leaves die due to the foliar lesions and the skin of fruits becomes papery. Under warm and humid conditions, this disease can worsen, causing red and orange spores eventually killing the plant. Infection is carried out through the residues of the passion flower, infected seeds, seedlings, and cuttings. Managing this disease involves a combination of using pathogen-free seedlings, eliminating infected areas, and improving ventilation and light conditions. Copper-based fungicides on injured areas can prevent the spread of disease.
Passion fruit flower is thenational flowerofParaguay.In 2006, singer-songwriterPaula Fugareleased the popular song "Lilikoi", theHawaiian languageword for passion fruit; the song is featured on an album also named after the fruit.Hip-hop artistDrakereleased the hit song "Passionfruit" in 2017.