Agronomic descriptors and ornamental potential of passion fruit species

Abstract

Brazil has great variability, being one of the centers of origin of the genus Passiflora. Passion fruit has a multiple and diversified uses, being little explored as an ornamental plant in the country. The objective of this work was to characterize four passion fruit genotypes (two hybrid materials from the experimental field of passion fruit breeding program of the University of Brasília, and two passion fruit cultivars - BRS Sertão Forte and BRS Mel do Cerrado, both of them from Brazil), based on official and validated morphoagronomic descriptors for the identification of morphological aspects and ornamental potential, under field conditions, in the Distrito Federal, Brazil. The experiment consisted of a randomized block design, with four treatments, four replications, and six plants per plot. Plants were analyzed weekly regarding the characteristics of the branches, leaf blade, petiole, and flowers, with 24 measurements of each structure in the four treatments, which were recorded using a digital camera. Flowers presented pronounced size and color, colored branches, and leaves of varying sizes and shapes. All materials studied showed commercial ornamental potential to be explored as new options for ornamental climbing plants.