The passion fruit plant is a typical culture of tropical countries, which are responsible for about 90% of the world production. The vegetative propagation of the passion fruit plant allows the obtainment of uniform orchards, as well as of rootstocks highly productive or resistant to diseases. The experiment has had as objective to verify the viability of the bench graft of yellow passion fruit plant (Passiflora edulis Sims f. flavicarpa Deg.) on to the sweet passion fruit plant (Passiflora alata Curtis), in greenhouse with 50% of light reduction, endowed with system of intermittent misty. It was conducted from August 2001 to May 2002 at Experimental Station of UNESP - Campus of Ilha Solteira, Selvíria - MS/Brazil. The used experimental design was randomized blocks, totalizing four treatments (T1 - cleft grafting, with graft of the terminal part of the branches; T2 - whip grafting, with graft of the terminal part of the branches; T3 - cleft grafting, with graft of the medium part of the branches; T4 - whip grafting, with graft of the medium part of the branches), with five repetitions and 25 cuttings grafted for portion. The evaluated variabilities were: a) percentage of survival of the grafted cuttings; b) percentage of rooted grafted cuttings; c) number of emitted sprouts by grafted cutting; d) number of leaves emitted by grafted cutting; e) dry matter mass of the root, stem, leaf and plant. It can be concluded that: the technique of bench graft applied to the passion fruit plant was shown viable, with excellent survival and rooting percentages.
passion fruit plant; propagation
