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Tropical fruits are in high demand for their flavor and for their functional composition because these compounds are considered nutraceuticals. Passion fruit production is of economic importance to Ecuador; however, several Passiflora species are grown and each has to be analyzed to identify their phytochemical composition. In this study, the polyphenol, flavonoid, carotenoid, vitamin C, sugar and organic acid contents were determined. Six different Passiflora spp. germplasms were analyzed, coming from Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa, Passiflora alata, Passiflora edulis f. edulis and unidentified Passiflora species (local germplasm). Measurement techniques included reflectometry for vitamin C, spectrophotometry for antioxidant compounds and HPLC for sugars and organic acids. Data were analyzed by principal component analysis, correlation and analysis of variance. Results showed that INIAP 2009 and P10 showed a high amount of polyphenols, antioxidant activity and citric content. Sweet passion fruit had the lowest vitamin C content while Gulupa showed the highest content. In terms of the local germplasm, POR1 showed the lowest content of flavonoids while PICH1 had high flavonoid and carotenoid content. Polyphenols were the main compounds that influenced antioxidant activity. This phytochemical information adds value to passion fruit as a nutraceutical source.

East Asian Passiflora virus (EAPV) causes passionfruit woodiness disease, a major threat limiting passionfruit production in eastern Asia, including Taiwan and Vietnam. In this study, an infectious cDNA clone of a Taiwanese severe isolate EAPV-TW was tagged with a green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter to monitor the virus in plants. Nicotiana benthamiana and yellow passionfruit plants inoculated with the construct showed typical symptoms of EAPV-TW. Based on our previous studies on pathogenicity determinants of potyviral HC-Pros, a deletion of six amino acids (d6) alone and its association with a point mutation (F8I, simplified as I8) were conducted in the N-terminal region of the HC-Pro gene of EAPV-TW to generate mutants of EAPV-d6 and EAPV-d6I8, respectively. The mutant EAPV-d6I8 caused infection without conspicuous symptoms in N. benthamiana and yellow passionfruit plants, while EAPV-d6 still induced slight leaf mottling. EAPV-d6I8 was stable after six passages under greenhouse conditions and displayed a zigzag pattern of virus accumulation, typical of a beneficial protective virus. The cross-protection effectiveness of EAPV-d6I8 was evaluated in both N. benthamiana and yellow passionfruit plants under greenhouse conditions. EAPV-d6I8 conferred complete cross-protection (100%) against the wild-type EAPV-TW-GFP in both N. benthamiana and yellow passionfruit plants, as verified by no severe symptoms, no fluorescent signals, and PCR-negative status for GFP. Furthermore, EAPV-d6I8 also provided complete protection against Vietnam’s severe strain EAPV-GL1 in yellow passionfruit plants. Our results indicate that the attenuated mutant EAPV-d6I8 has great potential to control EAPV in Taiwan and Vietnam via cross-protection.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of rootstocks on passion fruit physicochemical characteristics. The experiment was conducted in two properties in Terra Nova do Norte municipality, Mato Grosso State, Brazil. The experiment was conducted in a 2x8 factorial, in a completely randomized block design with four repetitions, being two growing environments (Environment 1 and Environment 2) and seven rootstocks with one control. The rootstocks used were: CPAC M5-H67, H-CPAC MJ-65, CPAC MJ-45-03, CPAC MJ-H-68, Passiflora nitida (PN), P. alafa (PA) and P. edulis (PE), under the canopy of a yellow passion fruit, BRS Gigante Amarelo cultivar. The same cultivar without rootstock was used as a control. The fruits were randomly harvest from each block. The following physical, physicochemical and chemical analysis were performed: weight, fruit length and diameter of the fruit, skin thickness, total soluble solids content (TSS), total acidity (TA), TSS/TA and vitamin C content. The use of rootstocks and rootstocks x environment interaction influenced the passion fruit physical characteristics. The environments influenced fruit quality, except for total acidity content. Environment 1 resulted in best fruit quality. For the Environment 2 no weight and length variation caused by rootstocks was observed. All analyzed rootstocks produced fruit with suitable characteristics for 'in natura' consumption or industrialization.

Abstract Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa, commonly known as yellow passion fruit, is a tropical species of great economic and nutritional value due to its high content of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and bioactive compounds. Although work has been done in Colombia to identify and characterize the germplasm of this species, there is still no improved genetic material adapted to the main producing municipalities. The objective of this study was to agromorphologically characterize yellow passion fruit cultivars in Miraflores, Boyacá, to identify promising genotypes using 20 qualitative and 26 quantitative descriptors evaluated in leaf, stem, flower, and fruit. Descriptive, multivariate, cluster, and mixed analyses were performed. A selection index was used to identify superior genotypes. The results showed that fruit weight had the highest coefficient of variation (65.60%), followed by petal length (45.67%). Positive and significant correlations were observed between peel weight, peel thickness, and equatorial and longitudinal fruit diameters, as well as between pulp weight, juice weight, and seed number. High phenotypic segregation was found for the traits of fruit color, shape, and the presence of pigments. Mixed multivariate analyses showed that fruit-associated characteristics, such as the presence or absence of pigments, contribute most to the observed variation. The selection index allowed the selection of cultivars 17 (241.19 g) and 18 (239.50 g) as promising genotypes within genetic improvement programs for the species. Resumo Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa, conhecida comumente como maracujá-amarelo, é uma espécie tropical de grande valor econômico e nutricional, devido ao seu alto teor de vitaminas, minerais, antioxidantes e compostos bioativos. Na Colômbia, a falta de informações genéticas e a alta variabilidade fenotípica limitaram o desenvolvimento de cultivares superiores. O objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar agromorfologicamente cultivares de maracujá-amarelo em Miraflores, Boyacá, para identificar genótipos promissores utilizando 20 descritores qualitativos e 26 descritores quantitativos, avaliados em folha, caule, flor e fruto. Foram realizadas análises descritivas, multivariadas, de agrupamento e mistas. Um índice de seleção foi utilizado para identificar genótipos superiores. Os resultados mostraram que o peso do fruto apresentou o maior coeficiente de variação (65,60%), seguido do comprimento da pétala (45,67%). Foram observadas correlações positivas e significativas entre o peso da casca e a espessura da casca, e os diâmetros equatorial e longitudinal do fruto, bem como entre o peso da polpa e o peso do suco, e o número de sementes. Alta segregação fenotípica foi encontrada para as características de cor do fruto e forma e presença de pigmentos. As análises multivariadas mistas mostraram que as características associadas ao fruto, como presença ou ausência de pigmentos, são as que mais contribuem para a variação observada. O índice de seleção permitiu selecionar as cultivares 17 (241,19 g) e 18 (239,50 g) como genótipos promissores dentro de programas de melhoramento genético da espécie.

Glycine betaine (GB) is a compatible solute that enhances plant tolerance to abiotic stresses, yet its role in fruit crops remains insufficiently explored. This study assessed whether GB improves drought tolerance in Passiflora edulis Sims f. flavicarpa, a crop sensitive to irregular rainfall. A 3 × 2 × 2 factorial design was employed, combining three drought levels (control, mild, and severe), two propagation methods (seedlings and cuttings), and two GB treatments (0 and 100 mM), with 60 plants and five replicates. Plants were grown under controlled conditions, and irrigation was adjusted to maintain target field capacities. Chlorophyll content was monitored daily, and agronomic and physiological traits were measured after 45 days. GB application influenced leaf water dynamics and stress responses. Cuttings generally showed clearer improvements in drought tolerance when treated with GB, while seedlings exhibited more variable outcomes. These differences appear linked to the propagation method and developmental stage as cuttings were at a more advanced phase, whereas seedlings remained vegetative. Overall, the results demonstrate that exogenous GB can enhance drought tolerance in passion fruit, although its effectiveness is propagation-dependent and context-specific, highlighting the need to tailor its application to cultivation practices.

Due to progress in the industrial development of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), much work has been dedicated to understanding the reaction of plants to these light sources in recent years. In this study, the effect of different LED-based light regimes on growth and performance of passion fruit ( Passiflora edulis ) seedlings was investigated. Combinations of different light irradiances (50, 100, and 200 µmol m −2  s −1 ), quality (red, green, and blue light-emitting LEDs), and photoperiods (10 h/14 h, 12 h/12 h and 14 h/10 h light/dark cycles) were used to investigate the photosynthetic pigment contents, antioxidants and growth traits of passion fruit seedlings in comparison to the same treatment white fluorescent light. Light irradiance of 100 µmol m −2  s −1 of a 30% red/70% blue LED light combination and 12 h/12 h light/dark cycles showed the best results for plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, internode distance, and fresh/dry shoot/root weights. 14 h/10 h light/dark cycles with the same LED light combination promoted antioxidant enzyme activities and the accumulation of phenols and flavonoids. In contrast, lower light irradiance (50 µmol m −2  s −1 ) had negative effects on most of the parameters. We conclude that passion fruit seedlings' optimal performance and biomass production requires long and high light irradiances with a high blue light portion.

Plant fitness is often defined by the combined effects of herbivory and competition, and plants must strike a delicate balance between their ability to capture limiting resources and defend against herbivore attack. Many plants use indirect defenses, such as volatile compounds and extrafloral nectaries (EFN), to attract canopy arthropods that are natural enemies of herbivorous organisms. While recent evidence suggests that upon perception of low red to far-red (R:FR) ratios, which signal the proximity of competitors, plants down-regulate resource allocation to direct chemical defenses, it is unknown if a similar phytochrome-mediated response occurs for indirect defenses. We evaluated the interactive effects of R:FR ratio and simulated herbivory on nectar production by EFNs of passionfruit (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa). The activity of petiolar EFNs dramatically increased in response to simulated herbivory and hormonal treatment with methyl jasmonate (MeJA). Low R:FR ratios, which induced a classic \"shade-avoidance\" repertoire of increased stem elongation in P. edulis, strongly suppressed the EFN response triggered by simulated herbivory or MeJA application. Strikingly, the EFN response to wounding and light quality was localized to the branches that received the treatments. In vines like P. edulis, a local response would allow the plants to precisely adjust their light harvesting and defense phenotypes to the local conditions encountered by individual branches when foraging for resources in patchy canopies. Consistent with the emerging paradigm that phytochrome regulation of jasmonate signaling is a central modulator of adaptive phenotypic plasticity, our results demonstrate that light quality is a strong regulator of indirect defenses.

A striking example of plant/pollinator trait matching is found between Andean species of Passiflora with 6–14-cm-long nectar tubes and the sword-billed hummingbird, Ensifera ensifera, with up to 11-cm-long bills. Because of the position of their anthers and stigmas, and self-incompatibility, these passionflower species depend on E. ensifera for pollination. Field observations show that the bird and plant distribution match completely and that scarcity of Ensifera results in reduced passionflower seed set. We here use nuclear and plastid DNA sequences to investigate how often and when these mutualisms evolved and under which conditions, if ever, they were lost. The phylogeny includes 26 (70%) of the 37 extremely long-tubed species, 13 (68%) of the 19 species with tubes too short for Ensifera and four of the seven bat-pollinated species for a total of 43 (69%) of all species in Passiflora supersection Tacsonia (plus 11 outgroups). We time-calibrated the phylogeny to infer the speed of any pollinator switching. Results show that Tacsonia is monophyletic and that its stem group dates to 10.7 Ma, matching the divergence at 11.6 Ma of E. ensifera from its short-billed sister species. Whether pollination by short-billed hummingbirds or by Ensifera is the ancestral condition cannot be securely inferred, but extremely long-tubed flowers exclusively pollinated by Ensifera evolved early during the radiation of the Tacsonia clade. There is also evidence of several losses of Ensifera dependence, involving shifts to bat pollination and shorter billed birds. Besides being extremely asymmetric—a single bird species coevolving with a speciose plant clade—the Ensifera/Passiflora system is a prime example of a specialized pollinator not driving plant speciation, but instead being the precondition for the maintenance of isolated populations (through reliable seed set) that then underwent allopatric speciation.

Passion fruit has a difficult natural fruiting process and low yield due to its approach herkogamy. Understanding the molecular mechanism of passion fruit style bending is crucial as it enhances pollination efficiency by optimizing stigma-anther alignment, overcoming herkogamy and improving fruit yield. In this study, we used the purple passion fruit variety ‘Tainong 1’ as experimental material. We observed that its style bends into an “S”-shape after flowering. As development progresses, the degree of this S-shaped curvature gradually weakens. Simultaneously, the style also exhibits a spatial bending from top to bottom during this process. In order to identify the genes specifically induced during the style bending process, transcriptome analysis was conducted on styles at T 1 (flowering), T 2 (30 min post-flowering), and T 5 (120 min post-flowering). 226 DEGs were identified to be specifically expressed in the T 1 to T 2 stages, mainly enriched in the “Protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum” pathway, involving heat shock proteins and DnaJ family proteins, suggesting that heat stress response is involved in early style movement regulation. The enriched 18 DEGs were all heat shock protein family proteins and DnaJ family proteins, which may be due to the stress response of the style to environmental heat stimulation. At the same time, 1,080 DEGs were specifically expressed in the T 2 to T 5 stages, mainly enriched in the “Phenylpropanoid biosynthesis” pathway and involved in the lignin biosynthesis pathway. Physiological testing confirmed that as the S-shaped of the style weakens, lignin accumulates significantly, increasing by 60% from T 1 to T 2 and by 43% from T 2 to T 5 , which is consistent with the trend of transcriptome data. In addition, differential expression of hormone metabolism related genes (abscisic acid, brassino steroids, jasmonic acid, and gibberellin pathways) was observed. Endogenous hormone quantification further confirmed hormonal regulation of style bending, revealing distinct accumulation patterns: ABA showed a biphasic trend with an initial 30% increase (T 1 to T 2 ) followed by a 9% rise (T 2 to T 5 ), while jasmonic acid exhibited a sharper 30% (T 1 to T 2 ) to 22% (T 2 to T 5 ) escalation. In summary, our results indicate that lignin accumulation enhances the mechanical strength of the style and reduces its inherent S-shaped bending. Thermal stimulation and hormone synthesis metabolism may also play a role in the process of style bending, but further research is needed to determine the specific mechanisms by which the response is regulated.

The aim of the present study was to establish a regeneration system via de novo organogenesis from different types of non-meristematic explants of Passiflora cristalina. Leaf, hypocotyl, root segments, cotyledons, and endosperm of P. cristalina seeds were inoculated in Murashige and Skoog (MS)-basal medium, supplemented with different concentrations of 6-Benzyladenine (BA), Thidiazuron (TDZ), or Kinetin (KIN). BA was found to be the most efficient cytokinin in induction of de novo organogenesis from most the explants used in the study. The highest frequencies of adventitious bud formation in the hypocotyl and cotyledon explants were observed in medium supplemented with 1.0 mg L^−1 BA. For leaf and endosperm segments, the best concentration was 2.0 mg L^−1 BA; while for root segments, the highest mean values were observed with 1.0 mg L^−1 KIN. The different morphogenetic responses obtained from each explant source were characterized using light microscopy. P. cristalina revealed a remarkable organogenic potential, with superior production of adventitious shoots compared with the other Passiflora species evaluated elsewhere. These results will be helpful to establish a reproducible and reliable micropropagation protocol, as well as to implement conservationist and biotechnological-based genetic breeding strategies for this wild Passiflora species.