Passion fruit vines provide heavy food, which means they need plenty of fertilizer to ensure healthy growth during their growing season. A balanced 10-10-10 or similar all-purpose formula should be applied every three weeks. But, again, be careful when fertilizing because the fruit vines are susceptible to salt buildup in their soil. The nutritional requirements of the passion fruit depend on the age and stage of development, viz., Vegetative growth, plant coming in bearing, and total production stage. N 150, P 100, and K 200 kg/hectare is the approximate nutrient requirement of passion fruit. Nutrients should be distributed after harvesting.
Organic manures are essential for strong and productive plants with regular and maximum yields. Oil cake is also applied in some areas. 10 kg FYM per vine is recommended during the first year of planting and 15 kg FYM per vine from the second year. A mixture of FYM and vermicompost in the ratio of 4: 1 or 3: 1 and oil cake gives excellent results, but most farmers are not applying it due to the limited availability of vermicompost. Manure should be used in February-March. Nutrient management depends on the age and stage of growth of the vines. Organic manures should be added more for better fruit production. Keep the soil evenly moist to produce the best fruit. If the soil dries out, the fruit will shrink and drop. Passion fruit is a heavy feeder. Too much nitrogen will result in reduced leaf growth and fruit set.
