Developing efficient breeding strategies to improve yield and quality in passionfruit

Passionfruit (Passiflora spp.) is a highly valued tropical fruit crop renowned for its distinct flavour and aroma. The crop is widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, including South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia. It is not only rich in vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, but it has been also traditionally used for medicinal purposes to treat various ailments. It is a common ingredient in a range of food and beverage products, including juices, jams, and desserts.

Despite its significant economic value, the Australian passionfruit industry is facing numerous challenges that have impacted the quality, yield, and profitability of the crop. One of the significant challenges is the lack of diversity in Australian passionfruit varieties/ germplasm, leading to susceptibility to biotic and abiotic stresses, which reduce the quality of the fruit.

The majority of passionfruit production in Australia is based on two main types: the purple passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) and the yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa). While these types are well suited to Australian conditions, they showed susceptibility to a range of pests and diseases, which impacted yields ad reduced the quality of the fruit.

Another issue facing the passion fruit industry in Australia is the lack of new varieties being developed and introduced for Australian conditions. While research and development have been continuing in the genetic improvement of these crops, there has been little success in introducing them to Australian markets.

To address these challenges, the Australian National Passionfruit breeding program led by Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, is aiming to extend the genetic diversity in the breeding population, identify the genetic mechanism of trait expression and develop an efficient method of breeding new varieties for continuous delivery of high performing and profitable cultivars.  This project will develop and use cutting-edge technologies to accelerate success in the breeding program.

This is an Earmarked scholarship project that aligns with a recently awarded Australian Government grant.

The scholarship includes:

• living stipend of $35,000 per annum tax free (2024 rate), indexed annually
• your tuition fees covered
• single overseas student health cover (OSHC).

Learn more about the Earmarked scholarship.

You'll be judged on a competitive basis taking into account your:

• academic record
• publication record
• honours and awards
• employment history.

Working knowledge of molecular breeding would be beneficial.

You'll demonstrate academic achievement in plant science, genetics, breeding, agriculture, botany, and the potential for scholastic success.

A background or knowledge of genetics and/or plant breeding is highly desirable.

This project requires candidates to commence no later than Research Quarter 2, 2026. To allow time for your application to be processed, we recommend applying no later than 31 December, 2025 30 September, 2025.

You can start in an earlier research quarter. See application dates.

Before you apply

1. Check your eligibility for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
2. Prepare your documentation.
3. Contact Dr Mobashwer Alam (m.alam@uq.edu.au) to discuss your interest and suitability.

When you apply

You apply for this scholarship when you submit an application for a PhD. You don’t need to submit a separate scholarship application.

In your application ensure that under the ‘Scholarships and collaborative study’ section you select:

• My higher degree is not collaborative
• I am applying for, or have been awarded a scholarship or sponsorship
• UQ Earmarked Scholarship type.

Apply now