The influence of ripening stage and cultivation system on the total antioxidant activity and total phenolic compounds of yellow passion fruit pulp

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Analysis of the efficiency of silicate clay on the control of Xanthomonas axonopodis PV. passiflorae in vitro and in seedlings of yellow passion fruit contaminated

The bacterial spot in yellow passion fruit plants, caused by the bacteria Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. passiflorae, occurs in all producing areas of the country, and is responsible for great economic losses in the culture of passion fruit. This study aimed to test the efficiency of the silicate clay in the inhibition of the bacteria Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. passiflorae in vitro, and in both preventive and curative control of the bacterial spot in seedlings of yellow passion fruit plants. The silicate clay was added to the growth medium at concentrations of. 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0%, placed in Petri dishes. After the culture medium was cooler, the bacterial suspension was inoculates (10(7) UFC.mL(-1)) with a handle, and left incubating at 28 degrees C for three days, and then the bacterial growth was evaluated. Subsequently, the product at the same concentrations above was sprayed on seedlings of 'Afruvec' passion fruit, as preventive or curative. The inoculation of the bacteria was made by foliar spraying of bacterial suspension (10(7) ufc.mL(-1)), 24 hours before or after the curative and preventive treatments, respectively. The severity of the disease was measured comparing each four true leaves from bottom up, with a diagrammatic scale. In the concentrations evaluated, the silicate clay inhibited both bacteria in vitro and symptoms of bacterial spot in the curative treatment. In preventive treatment, significant results were obtained using more than 1.0% of clay silicates. Based on these results, the clay silicate can be recommended, the concentration of 1.0-2.0% for the control of bacterial spot of passion fruit plants, in foliar sprays.

Effects of Passiflora edulis (Yellow Passion) on Serum Lipids and Oxidative Stress Status of Wistar Rats

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa Degener (yellow passion) juice on the lipid profile and oxidative stress status of Wistar rats. Adult male Wistar rats were divided in two groups (n = 8 animals per group): the control group, which received water, and the treated group, which was given P. edulis juice (1,000 mg/kg). Both groups received by gavage treatment twice a day for 28 days. The treated group showed an increased high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol level and decreased low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and free fatty acid levels compared with the control group. Levels of triglycerides and and very low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, superoxide dismutase activity, and total glutathione concentration were not statistically different between the two groups, but the thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances concentration (indicating lipid peroxidation) decreased in the treated group. These findings suggests that P. edulis juice in the experimental conditions used showed beneficial effects on lipid profile and improved lipid peroxidation in Wistar rats.

Histochemical analysis of seed reserve mobilization in Passiflora edulis Sims fo. flavicarpa O. Deg. (yellow passion fruit) during germination

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Limited movement of Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) in yellow passion flower in Brazil

Symptoms of Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) on yellow passion flower (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa) are characterized by bright yellow mottling on leaves, starting at random points on the vine and diminishing in intensity towards the tip, which becomes symptomless as it grows. To determine whether symptomless portions of vines are CMV-free or represent latent infection, leaves with and without symptoms were collected from infected vines in the field. Biological, serological (plate-trapped antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, PTA-ELISA), Western blot and dot-blot hybridization assays showed that portions of the vines without symptoms were CMV-free. Vegetatively propagated vines with symptoms showed remission of symptoms on newly developed leaves. One year later, no CMV was detected in the upper leaves of these plants. Mechanically inoculated passion flower seedlings behaved similarly; symptoms were shown by few leaves after inoculation. Afterwards, plants became symptomless and CMV was not detected in the upper leaves or root system, 40 or 85 days after inoculation. The mechanism responsible for remission of symptoms accompanied by CMV disappearance is not known.

Yellow passion fruit seed oil (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa): physical and chemical characteristics

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effect of drying method on the adsorption isotherms and isosteric heat of passion fruit pulp powder

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Water adsorption isotherms and isosteric sorption heat of spray-dried and freeze-dried dehydrated passion fruit pulp with additives and skimmed milk

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Influence of two methods of CaCl2 application and concentrations used to maintain passion fruit firmness

This is a report on the influence of the methods of postharvest application of CaCl2 in several concentrations, on the maintenance of the firmness of the sweet passion fruit (Passiflora alata Dryander). The fruits, picked in the pre-climateric stage, were selected desinfection with thiabendazol and submitted to CaCl2 in concentrations of 0% (control), 1%, 2%, 3% or 4% with two methods: immersion (for 2 h) and infiltration under vacuum and pressure (- 25 vacuum kPa, for 1 minute and, + 25 pressure kPa, for 1 min). All fruits were stored under refrigeration (9 degreesC, 85-90% RH), for 30 d. The fruits were evaluated for texture every 3 d. From the results, it is concluded that application of CaCl2 by infiltration favored the maintenance of fruit consistency during the first 18 days of storage. Fruits treated with 1% and 2% of CaCl2 were firmer than the others.

Influence of the cultivation system in the aroma of the volatile compounds and total antioxidant activity of passion fruit

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Thermal properties of passion fruit juice as affected by temperature and water content

The specific heat, thermal conductivity and density of passion fruit juice were experimentally determined from 0.506 to 0.902 (wet basis) water content and temperatures from 0.4 to 68.8C. The experimental results were compared with existing and widely used models for the thermal properties. In addition, based on empiric equations from literature, new simple models were parameterized with a subset of the total experimental data. The specific heat and thermal conductivity showed linear dependency on water content and temperature, while the density was nonlinearly related to water content. The generalized predictive models were considerably good for this product but the empiric, product-specific models developed in the present work yield better predictions. Even though the existing models showed a moderate accuracy, the new simple ones would be preferred, because they constitute an easier and direct way of evaluating the thermal properties of passion fruit juice, requiring no information about the chemical composition of the product, and a reduced time of the estimation procedure, as the new empiric models are described in terms of only two physical parameters, the water content and the temperature. © Copyright 2005, Blackwell Publishing All Rights Reserved.

The use of the carbon-13 in the partitioning of photosynthate in vegetative and reproductive twigs of 'Sweet' passion fruit

This study's objective is to evaluate the photosynthates partitioning and source-sink relationships, in vegetative and reproductive twigs of sweet passion fruit, using the carbon-13, stable isotope of carbon. The leaves of vegetative and reproductive twigs were placed in a sealed chamber and 13CO 2 were injected for 30 minutes. After six hours, the different organs of the twig were collected and immersed in liquid nitrogen (-196°C). All plant samples were oven-dried, powdered and combusted in an elemental analyzer. The results showed that the methodology was efficient to evaluate the partitioning of photosynthates. In the vegetative twigs, the new open leaves, the closed leaves and growth meristem were the principal sink for the source leaves enriched with 13CO 2. In the reproductive twigs with only flowers buds, the source-sink relationship was changed and the flowers buds turn to be the principal sink and the growing leaves were secondary sinks. The presence of young fruits changed again the source-sink relationship of the twig, and they were the principal sinks. The apical leaves, with 60% of final leaf area were also a sink for photosynthates.

Shelf Life of Fresh and Pasteurized Organic Passion Fruit (Passiflora Edulis F. Flavicarpa Deg.) Pulp

The shelf life of the organic passion fruit pulp, both fresh and pasteurized at 70C and 90C and stored under refrigeration, was evaluated. The heat treatment did not affect the sensory and physicochemical characteristics of the pasteurized pulps when compared with the fresh pulp, except for the ascorbic acid content. The pulps were also microbiologically safe. The pulps pasteurized at 70 and 90C were suitable for consumption for a minimum shelf-life period of 207 days of storage under refrigeration and for the fresh pulp it was attributed a shelf-life period of 60 to 90 days. The pulp pasteurized at 70C showed higher acceptance scores for all the attributes and purchase intention scores, suggesting a more stable behavior and higher sensory quality. Practical Applications: This work intended to evaluate the influence of the minimum pasteurization on the sensory acceptance and microbiological and physicochemical characteristics of the organic passion fruit pulp stored under refrigeration, with the aim to identify the shelf life. Heat treatment is one of the processes used for food preservation. Lower pasteurization temperature than that used by the Brazilian industries and storage under refrigeration showed to be appropriate for passion fruit pulp quality. In this way, the microbiological, physicochemical and sensory features of passion fruit were preserved. This work can be used as a reference for passion fruit pasteurization, which is able to increase the shelf life of this fruit while preserving its desirable original features. Journal Compilation © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Method and passion in Celso Furtado

Includes bibliography

Fusarium solani f. sp. passiflorae: A new forma specialis causing collar rot in yellow passion fruit

The aim of this study was to characterize a Fusarium population obtained from yellow passion fruit (YPF) with collar rot using pathogenicity, morphocultural characteristics and molecular tests. Pathogenicity and disease severity were assessed in six plant species: YPF, zucchini, tomato, bean, soya bean and cucumber. Potato dextrose agar medium (PDA) was used to determine mycelial growth at five temperatures (15-35°C). The colour produced by isolates was also determined on PDA at 25°C. Synthetic nutrient agar medium was used to evaluate: (i) type of mycelium and phialides; (ii) size, shape and number of septa from conidia; and (iii) production of chlamydospores and perithecia. Molecular tests consisted of sequencing the ITS-5·8S rDNA region and elongation factor 1α (EF-1α) gene. The isolates caused large lesions on YPF, zucchini and tomato, with YPF having the highest mean disease severity and being the only one that showed wilt symptoms and death of the plant. Thus the isolates showed host specificity. Maximum mycelial growth occurred at 25°C and the predominant colour was bluish-white. The isolates produced long phialides, dense aerial mycelium, oval microconidia with a mean size of 9·5 × 2·6 μm, macroconidia of 32·7 × 3·4 μm with 3·3 septa, and chlamydospores; only one isolate lacked perithecia. Phylogenetic trees of the ITS region and EF-1α gene showed that isolates from YPF formed a distinct group within the F. solani group and the formae speciales of F. solani. It is proposed to name all isolates from YPF as F. solani f. sp. passiflorae. © 2013 British Society for Plant Pathology.