Do the leaves have lots of discolored spots that look like they were sprinkled on?
Does the plant wilts, leaves turning brown or pale yellow?
Do the leaves have large, ragged holes in them, but there are no visible caterpillars?
Do the leaves have holes?
Are the leaves curled and distorted?
The passionfruit woodiness virus is most likely to blame. Along with spotty discoloration, this virus makes the leaves crinkle, and the fruit grows small and deformed. The woodiness virus is spread by aphids and occasionally garden tools. Unfortunately, there is no cure for viruses, so you should remove and destroy your plants to stop the spread of the virus.
These symptoms are most likely caused by Fusarium wilt. There is no cure for Fusarium wilt, so the infected plants should be destroyed. Do not plant chickpeas or any susceptible plants to Fusarium wilt in the same spot for several years.
Large, ragged holes in the leaves are caused by slugs and snails. Slugs and snails feed on the plant leaves at night. To control slugs and snails use diatomaceous earth around your plants. You can also handpick them during the night or use shallow dishes filled with beer as a trap.
Various caterpillars will feed on passion fruit vine leaves. They may also feed on stems, flowers, and fruit. Handpick and destroy caterpillars, or spray plants with BTK if caterpillars are feeding.
Distorted and curled leaves are caused by aphids. These tiny insects cluster under leaves and on growing tips where they feed on plant sap. Leaves, stems, and buds get distorted and later leaves and flowers drop from the plant. You can control them by washing them off the plant with water spray. Insecticidal soap should be used with severe infestations.
Yellow, stunted plants and roots that have swollen galls indicate root-knot nematodes. Other symptoms are plants wilting during bright, hot days. Prevent root-knot nematodes by applying chitin or introducing parasitic nematodes to the soil before planting. Solarizing the soil also helps in preventing root-knot nematodes.
https://www.epicgardening.com/passion-fruit-vine/
Ellis, B. W., Bradley, F. M., & Atthowe, H. (1996). The Organic gardener's handbook of natural insect and disease control: a complete problem-solving guide to keeping your garden & yard healthy without chemicals. Emmaus, Pa.: Rodale Press.
Sreten null
Hi! I’m Sreten Filipović. I graduated from the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Belgrade, with a master's degree in Environmental Protection in Agricultural Systems. I’ve worked as a researcher at Finland's Natural Resources Institute (LUKE) on a project aimed at adapting south-western Finland to drought episodes. I founded a consulting agency in the field of environment and agriculture to help farmers who want to implement the principles of sustainability on their farms. I’m also a founding member of the nonprofit organization Ecogenesis from Belgrade whose main goal is non-formal education on the environment and ecology. In my spare time, I like to write blog posts about sustainability, the environment, animal farming, horticulture, and plant protection. I’ve also published several science-fiction short stories.
You can find me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sreten-filipovi%C4%87-515aa5158/
