Ripening stage and post-harvest storage effect on the physiological quality of passion fruit seeds

Abstract

This work aimed to identify the effects of the ripening stage and post-harvest storage fruits period on the physiological quality of Passiflora edulis Sims ‘SCS437 Catarina’ seeds. The experiments were conducted over two cycles: 2019/2020 (experiment 1) and 2020/2021(experiment 2). Four fruit ripening stages (50, 57, 64, and 71 days after anthesis [DAA]) and four storage durations (0, 7, 14 and 21 days post-harvest) were evaluated. In experiment 1, the highest seed germination percentage was observed in fruits harvested at 57 DAA, stored for 16 days, and displaying a yellow coloration. In the experiment 2, no specific ripening stage consistently resulted in a higher germination percentage as storage durations progressed. In both experiments, post-harvest fruit storage facilitated seed maturation in younger fruits, enhancing both germination speed and percentage across all ripening stages. Harvesting fruits with yellow-colored skins is recommended as an indicator of superior seed physiological quality.