Produtividade de cultivares de passiflora edulis sob salinidade hídrica

Abstract

Irrigation water salinity limits crop productivity, with effects varying between species and cultivars. Salt accumulation compromises essential physiological processes such as nutrient assimilation, osmotic adjustment, and photosynthesis, in addition to intensifying the production of reactive oxygen species, negatively affecting plant metabolism. In semi-arid regions, where the availability of good quality water is limited, understanding the response of different passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) genetic materials to salinity is fundamental to guiding crop choices. This study evaluated the effects of two levels of electrical conductivity of irrigation water (0.5 and 3.0 dS m-1

) on the production and productivity of cultivated P. edulis materials. The experiment was conducted in the municipality of São Sebastião do Umbuzeiro (PB), using a split-plot design in a 2 × 3 scheme, with irrigation water and yellow passion fruit cultivars (Guinezinho, BRS Gigante Amarelo F1 (GA1) and BRS Sol do Cerrado F1 (SC1)). The variables analyzed included the number of productive branches, number of fruits per plant, average fruit weight, production per plant, and productivity. Productive responses varied according to the material evaluated. The Guinezinho cultivar showed the best performance at both salinity levels, reaching 4,299 kg ha-1 with 0.5 dS m-1

and maintaining superiority even

under 3.0 dS m-1

, indicating greater tolerance to saline stress. GA1 was the most sensitive, showing a significant reduction in productivity when irrigated with water of higher conductivity. In contrast, SC1 showed a positive response to increased salinity, suggesting potential for use in areas with limited quality irrigation water. The results demonstrate that the choice of genetic material is crucial for passion fruit cultivation in saline environments and highlight the importance of the Guinezinho cultivar as a more stable alternative for irrigated systems with moderately saline water.