Abstract

Several kinds of creepers known as "passion vines" are grown for their edible fruits as well as for their ornamental flowers in India. A few of these, commonly called "the purple granadilla", "the giant granadilla", etc., have been disseminated over a number of years in certain localities and are now growing as part of the natural vegetation. Recently there has been some effort to grow one of these, viz., the purple passion fruit, commercially in South India. This purple passion fruit is an important crop in Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii and other countries and in South India it grows luxuriantly and bears heavily in Coonoor, Ootacamund, Kodaikanal, Sheveroys and other places of high altitude. It needs a mild climate and at lower altitudes the vines are found to be extremely vigorous in vegetative growth but produce very little crop. Recently an yellow fruited variety has been introduced into South India from Ceylon and investigations on this variety have shown that it is of relatively easy culture and is well adapted to the plains and lower altitudes. It grows véry vigorously, comes to fruit within a year of planting and produces an abundant crop of fruits in successive waves with little attention. Its fruits have a decidedly better flavour than that of the purple passion fruit.

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