El Niño phenomenon affects passion fruit production in Santa Catarina, Brazil

The 2023/2024 passion fruit harvest in Santa Catarina ended with an estimated production of 45 thousand tons, registering a 35% drop compared to the previous year, according to a survey by Epagri with wholesalers in the south of the state, the main producing region of the fruit. The average productivity of the orchards was between 20 and 25 tons per hectare, compared to 35 t/ha in the previous harvest. According to Diego Adílio da Silva, leader of the Epagri Fruit Growing Program in the south of the state, weather conditions, influenced by the El Niño phenomenon, were mainly responsible for the reduction in production. Excessive rain and lack of light contributed to the proliferation of bacteriosis (Xanthomonas campestris pv. passiflorae), one of the most impactful diseases in passion fruit cultivation. Diego highlighted that the control of bacteriosis is made difficult by the spread of the disease through raindrops and wind, in addition to the limited effectiveness of ...