Germination trials in passion fruit seeds.

The Purple Passion fruit (Pal3siflora
edulis, Sims) is extensively cdlLivated in
Australia, ~outh Africa, Kenya and elsewhere
and is gradually assuming considerable
(lommercial importance because its attractive
yellow pulp, having a fine exotic flavour,
finds its greatest use as a flavouring in a
number of fruit products like icings. drinks,
syrups, ice-cream, etc. and especially a." an
addition to fruit s!1lads to add a piquant
flavour and aroma. The extensive studies
conducted on the nutritive value and utilization
of this fruit at this Institute during
the last 3 years have given highly encouraging
results (11). Consequently the
area under this fruit is steadily increasingly
in South India. Unfortunately other aspects
viz., the cultural aspects ef this fruit plant
have not hitherto received the attention
they deserve. Only Naik (8) has reported
about the encouraging performance of this
plant at Coonoor. The study reported here
was undertaken at Mysore to elicit information
on some of the important aspects of
passion fruit seed propagn,t,ion for future
guidance of the planters in this part of the
(Jountry, as nr, reliable information is avail·
able on these aspect". Data are presented
on the rate and percent germinal ion of
freshly extracted seeds as well as one year
old seeds stured in the la,boratory at room
temperature (24-30DC).