Cultivated Passiflora sp. in North East region of India

Abstract

North East region of India is full of wide range of climatic and edaphological condition, and genetic diversity of passion fruits (Passiflora spp). The different genotypes are found in Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Nagaland of North East region. Generally it is due to the upland and low land hill conditions, that the yellow, purple and mixed type of passion fruit are found. Purple passion (Passiflora edulis Sims) fruit favourably grown at high altitude (>2,000 m), and Yellow or Golden passion fruit (Passiflora f. flavicarpa Deg.) at low land, mostly under tropical climate. In some parts of North East, giant granadilla (Passiflora quadrangularis) is found which is mostly used for vegetable purpose but more delicious after ripened. Different genotypes under all these species directly help uplift the economy of rural people of these regions.