Passion fruit plants are perennial and can live for more than three years, depending on how they are managed and cared for. With proper care, a single plant can grow to over 20 meters in length and produce up to 2 kilogramme of fruit each week after 4-5 months of transplantation.
Varieties
· Purple passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) – Best suited to higher altitudes; has a strong aroma and flavor.
· Sweet yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa) – Grows better at lower altitudes and is more vigorous and disease-resistant. Used as rootstock for grafting purple varieties.
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· The Banana Passion Fruit has a distinct taste and appearance, as well as increased fruit size and sweetness, making it popular.
· Granadilla, often known as sweet passion fruit, has a sweet taste and silky texture.
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Passion fruit, a climbing vine, is a versatile and more popular crop, with
growing demand in both export and domestic markets. It is currently the third
most popular fruit in Kenya, behind mangoes and bananas.
The fruit can be eaten fresh or juiced. Passion fruit juice is a popular
delicacy in the local markets. The pulp is utilised in a variety of items,
including meals. Furthermore, the fruit is used to make a variety of cosmetic
items and food flavourings, and it is high in vitamins A and C, as well as carotene,
making it a valuable addition to many businesses.
Despite increasing demand from fresh juice producers, the supply of passion fruits remains limited. A visit to numerous market centres in Nairobi, Kiambu, Eldoret, Kisumu, Mombasa, and other towns reveals that fewer sellers sell passion fruits than other popular commodities such as bananas and mangoes. This gap creates a significant economic opportunity for farmers that are passionate about passion fruit production.
Economic Viability
The beauty of passion fruit growing is that the fruits do not develop all at
the same time. Some take three days, one week, or two weeks to ripen. This
variation is helpful since it allows farmers to harvest on a weekly basis while
also efficiently managing their marketing activities.
Environmental requirements
Passion fruit flourishes at altitudes ranging from 1,200 to 1,800 meters above
sea level in the Rift Valley's east and up to 2,000 meters above sea level in
the west.
The optimal temperature range for purple passion fruit is 18°C to 25°C, while
for yellow passion fruit it is 25°C to 30°C. Banana passion is suited to cool to cold climates with adequate rainfall. Rainfall should be evenly spread
throughout the year, averaging between 900 and 2,000 mm per year. Excessive
rainfall can cause poor fruit set and induce diseases such as leaf and fruit
rust.
Passion fruits should be grown in deep, fertile, and well-drained soil. Plants
in high rainfall areas require efficient soil drainage since they are
vulnerable to waterlogging and flooding. The recommended soil pH for passion
fruit growing is 6.0 to 6.5. If the pH is less than 5.0, it reduces nutrient
uptake and promotes Fusarium wilt, which can rot the roots and destroy the
plant.
Plant Propagation & Care
1. Seedling Propagation
Passion fruit can be reproduced from seeds, however grafting usually yields superior results. Yellow passion fruit is best for rootstock production due to its improved disease resistance, but purple cultivars are better for fruit production. |
| Grafted purple passion seedlings |
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| Sweet Granadilla Seedlings at Richfarm Kenya Nursery |
For certified and ready to plant seedlings, visit our nurseries n Embu and Naivasha or get in touch via 0724698357/0723213602.
2. Land preparation and transplanting
Passion fruit seedlings require around four months to grow to a transplantable size. After transplantation, each plant takes around seven weeks to establish up to four healthy lateral stems. Most of Kenya's wet season (April to June) is good for transplanting. However, planting in irrigated orchards can occur at any time of year.Raised beds can help to increase soil depth and drainage. Planting holes should measure 60 cm x 60 cm x 60 cm, with top and subsoil separated two months before planting.
The field should also have stakes and trellis wires to support the vines. Trellises should be 60 cm apart, with two or three wires per row. The posts should be strong enough to support the vines and fruits, and the trellis height should range between 1.5 and 2 meters.
3. Fertilizer Application
When planting, mix around 3 tonnes of goat manure per acre, or about 20 grammes each plant, into the soil. During the wet season, apply an additional 5-10 kg of organic manure around the base of each plant. Chemical fertilizers, such as Triple Super Phosphate (TSP), can also be used, but they must be administered carefully to avoid increasing soil acidity.4. Irrigation
To ensure that passion fruit flowers and fruits continuously, it must be watered on a regular basis. Irrigation is critical during dry seasons or in dry places to maximize output and ensure high-quality produce.5. Pruning and Orchard Sanitization
Pruning is essential for promoting new growth and preserving an open canopy. Remove any old, unproductive shoots and dead wood. Cut secondary shoots that reach the earth around 15 cm above ground to ensure healthy growth.6. Intercropping and Crop Rotation
Intercropping with vegetables such as spring onions or coriander can help to maximize space and reduce soil erosion. Crops vulnerable to viruses, such as cucurbits, should not be intercropped with passion fruit.7. Pest and Disease Control
Weeding and maintaining good orchard cleanliness are important in disease control. Check the orchard on a regular basis for insect infestations and respond quickly. Crop rotation helps to control soil-borne illnesses and pests.Red Oratia Tree Tomato (Fast Growing Variety)
Common pests and diseases of passion fruit
Diseases
1. Fusarium wilt.
It is caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum.It causes the afflicted plants' leaves to yellow and fall. The plant wilts for several days before dying. Fusarium wilt is distinguished by the reddish-brown discolouration of the stem and roots' water conducting tissue, which is visible when these parts are sliced with a sharp knife.
2. Blight
It is caused by soil-borne pathogens. Affected fruits develop a hard rot ranging from greyish-green to chocolate brown, with an undefined, water-soaked edge and broad, zonate patterns. The rot's surface is normally smooth, and the skin remains intact.3. Brown spot
It is caused by the fungus Alternaria passiflora. Affected leaves and fruits develop brown patches surrounded by yellow hallows.The spots on the leaves are 6-10 mm wide, brown at first, then light brown, and surrounded by yellow haloes. Only a few spots grow on the leaves before they fall. Spots can grow up to 30 mm and sometimes girdle and kill stems.
On the fruits, the spots begin as tiny greyish dots, progress to light brown,
and finally to dark brown with wrinkled, sunken centres that are usually less
than 10 mm in diameter. The blotches may become large enough to cover one side
of the fruit. Spores formed on the fruit, leaves, and stems spread with the
wind and rain.
4. Woodiness Virus
It's caused by a virus. This virus is mostly spread by aphids in a non-persistent way via mechanical inoculation. There is no evidence that this virus is transmitted by seed.The infected fruit may appear deformed, and the edible portion may become thick and hard, or "woody". Infected plants have deformed leaves, grow at a slower rate, and live shorter lives than those that are not infected with the virus.
5. Die back
This is a devastating plant disease caused by the pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi. Phytophthora Dieback lives its entire life in the soil and plant tissues. It causes root rot in vulnerable plants, which limits or prevents water and nutrient intake. Water flowing on the soil surface spreads the infection, as do human activities such as the movement of people, equipment, and domestic animals. Common Pest
1. Red spider mites
These tiny insects live on the lower leaf surface, between the veins, and cause leaves to dry. It is a sap-sucking mite that affects plant foliage, producing mottling, leaf loss, and, in severe cases, plant death.
2. Aphids
3. Mealy insects
Mealy bugs are soft-bodied, wingless, stationary insects that appear as white cottony masses on leaves, stems, and fruits in warmer growing areas. They feed by putting long sucking mouthparts called stylets into plants and extracting sap from the tissue. Low pest levels rarely cause considerable damage. However, in larger quantities, they can cause leaf yellowing and curling as the plant weakens. Feeding is typically accompanied by honeydew, which makes the plant sticky and promotes the growth of sooty mould.4. Thrips
These are small insects that damage passionfruit crops, shrivelling the afflicted plant sections and prematurely dropping blossoms and young fruits. Thrips can also cause damage to leaves and young shoots, as well as lesions on fruits.5. Stink bug
There are three varieties of stinkbugs found in passion fruits in various places. Green veggie insect (Nezara viridula), yellow edge stink bug (Nezara pallidocorspasa), and brown stink bug (Boerias maculate).They feed by piercing and sucking the young fruits. Pierced areas appear sunken and result in reduced fruit quality.
Quick Summary
· Cost per
seedling Ksh. 100 for grafted purple, giant passion, Ksh60 for non grafted
sweet yellow passion, granadilla
· Seedlings per
acre - 650
·
Spacing - 2m by
3m
·
Fruit price- Ksh
80-150 per kg (farmgate)
·
Yield- 1-2 kg
per plant per week
·
Common Pest –
Thrips, stink bug, mealy insects, aphids, spider mite
·
Common Diseases-
Fusarium wilt, Blight, Brown spot, Woodiness Virus, Die back.
·
Lifespan 3 years
Passion Fruit Farming Full Guide
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