The Genetic Diversity, Conservation, and Use of Passion Fruit (Passiflora spp.)

The characterization of genetic variability is important for conservation and biodiversity as well as the strategies and research techniques that contribute to such characterizations of flora, including the use of morpho-agronomic descriptors and molecular markers. In this chapter, we present and discuss the issues related to the genetic diversity of passion fruit (Passiflora spp.) to provide the reader with an updated view on the advances and challenges associated with the characterization, conservation and genetic diversity of the genus Passiflora. Passiflora, whose species are commonly known as passion fruits, stands out in the family Passifloraceae both for its number of species (approximately 520) and its ecological and economic importance. Passion fruits grow in various countries, and they are diversely represented in the Americas; in particular, Colombia and Brazil grow approximately 170 and 150 species of Passiflora, respectively. Despite increasing interest in this genus, genetic characterization, and breeding programs remain modest, especially considering the number of species not yet studied. Because almost all passion fruit diversity estimates derive from accessions maintained in germplasm banks using ex situ conservation to reduce the loss of species genetic variability, the scientific community must increase the number of these accessions. In addition, an urgent need exists for estimations of the diversity of natural populations and expanded analyses of passion fruit accessions present in germplasm banks, to provide more realistic estimates regarding the diversity of Passiflora and its representation in germplasm banks, both for conservation and biodiversity.