GroGrowwtthh of of PaPassissifflloorraa aallaattaa SeeSeedlidlingngs fs foor r TTraranspnspllaantnt PrProoducducttiioon n TTreareatted wed wiitth h SelSelected ected SSttiimulmulaattoors rs

JJ. . PablPabloo Mo Moraralesles ­­ PayPayaan n Departamento de Horticultura Universidad de Puerto Rico, Mayaguez WilliaWilliam m MM. . StallStall Horticultural Sciences Department University of Florida, Gainesvillele SweeSweet t PaPassssioion n fruit fruit

n PasPassiflosiflorara ala alatata n SSwweeteet pa passssioion fn fruruit it n TroTropicapical fl fruitruit, , PaPassssifloraifloraceaceaee n SaSamme e ggenusenus as as or ornanammental paental passssioionnfloflowwersers n OOrnarnammental aental and nd edible vedible vaaluelue DistrDistribibututioion n && P Pootentiatential l

n Grown and wild in many countries in the tropical regions of the Americas

n Not as widely known as Passiflora edulis andnd Passiflora quadrangularis

n Fresh fruit or juicece n The plant is a perennial vine n First harvest ~1 year n Practices to accelerate crop are welcome n Reproduced by seed or by cuttings

à n Nursery transplanting to fieldd ““Idea Ideall ”” tratranspnsplalantnts fos for mr moost st PaPassssifliflooraceaeraceae n At least four true exapanded leaves n At least one tendril n Height 25­50 cm n Nursery usually takes 60­80 days after emergence OObjbjecectivtivee n To determine the effect of selected stimulators on the growth of sweet passion fruit seedlings for transplants MaMaterteriaials als andnd M Methoethodsds n Sweet passion fruit grown from seed n Styrofoam cups 12.5 cm in height, 8.75 cm upper diameter (180 cm 3 ) MaMaterteriaials als andnd M Methoethodsds n Sphagnum­based growth medium n Fertilization 10­10­10 + micronutrients twice a week n Watered daily (100 ml per plant) TrTreateatmmententss n Benzyl adenine (BA): 0, 10, 20, 30, 40 mg/L n Gibberellic acid 3 (GA): 10, 20, 30, 40 mg/L n A glycine­rich mix of amino acids and short­ chain peptides (ACP): 1, 2, 3, 4 g/L n Acetylthioproline (AP): 0, 100, 200, 300, 400 mg/L n Triterpenic acid­rich extract (TTA): 0, 100, 200, 300, 400 mg/L

Sprayed to the canopy 15 days after emergence TrTreateatmmententss n Acetylthioproline TrTreateatmmententss n Gibberellic acid 3 TrTreateatmmententss n A glycine­rich mix of amino acids and short­chain peptides EvEvaaluluaatiotionn n Time to five expanded leaves & stem 25 cm n Time to five expanded leaves & stem 50 cm ReResultssults BeBennzzyyl l aadenidenine ane andnd TrTriteriterpepeninic c AcAcidid n No significant effect on sweet passion fruit transplant production. n Time to 25 cm­stems was ~52 d n Time to 50 cm­stems was ~76 d Effect of APC on the time to produce sweet passion fruit transplants 25 cm h

t 80 g n

e 70

m l 60

ste 50 d e

ir 40 s 30 de o Y=36.98+39.11e(­x/3.91); r 2= 0.94

t 20 10 Days 0 0 1 2 3 4 APC rate (mg/L) Effect of APC on the time to produce passion fruit transplants 25 cm 50 cm

80 Y=30.55­23.23e(­x/3.18); r 2= 0.94 gth 70 en l

60 stem 50

red 40 si 30 de Y=36.98+39.11e(­x/3.91); r 2= 0.94 o t 20

ays 10 D 0 0 1 2 3 4

APC rate (mg/L) Effect of GA on the time to produce sweet passion fruit transplants

25 cm

h 80 t g n 70 e

m l 60

ste 50 d e 40 ir 2 s Y=75.6­0.43x; r =0.91 30 de o

t 20 10 Days 0 0 10 20 30 40

GA rate (mg/L) Effect of GA on the time to produce passion fruit transplants 25 cm 50 cm

h 80 Y=52.8­0.21x; r 2= 0.98 gt 70 en l

60 em st

50 ed r 40 2

si Y=75.6­0.43x; r =0.91 30 de o t 20

ays 10 D 0 0 10 20 30 40

GA rate (mg/L) Effect of AP on the time to produce passion fruit transplants 25 cm 50 cm

h 80 t g n 70 e

m l 60

ste 50 d e 40 ir s 30 de o

t 20 10 Days 0 0 100 200 300 400

AP rate (mg/L) 40 d

APC 4 g/L AP 200 mg/L BA AcAcetyetylthlthioioprproolinline ve vs s GGAA n AP and GA shortened the time to produce 25 cm­stems to 44 d, and the time to produce 50 cm­stems to ~60 d n GA treatment resulted in desired stem length more rapidly than AP treatment n Plants with AP treatment reached the 5­leaf stage more rapidly than those with GA treatment n Meeting the leaf number and stem length requirements took the same time with AP and GA SuSummmmaaryry n Control plants reached “ideal” by 53 d (25­cm) to 75 d (50­cm) n BA and TTA did not affect time to “ideal” transplants n APC 3­4 g/L shortened time by 15­22 d n GA (30­40 mg/L) and AP (300­400 mg/L) shortened time by 9–15 d QQuestiouestions?ns?