Abstract:To investigate the differences in the nutritional components and phytochemical compositions of Qinmi No. 9 passion fruit from different regions of Guangxi, the basic components, minerals, and metabolites of Qinmi No. 9 from Qinzhou and Guilin and purple passion fruit from Qinzhou were compared. The results revealed significant differences in nutritional components among the different passion fruit varieties. Specifically, Qinzhou Qinmi No. 9 showed the highest contents of total sugars (10.03 g/100 g), crude protein (2.28 g/100 g), and potassium (0.93 g/100 g). Guilin Qinmi No. 9 exhibited the highest levels of calcium (52.48 mg/100 g) and selenium (1.19 μg/100 g), whereas purple passion fruit had the highest contents of crude fat and dietary fiber. A total of 470 metabolites were detected in the fruit pulps of the three passion fruit varieties. Secondary metabolites included a rich variety of polyphenols (80 types), terpenes (27 types), and alkaloids (24 types). Notably, the content of polyphenols in Guilin Qinmi No. 9 (9.20%) was significantly higher than that in Qinzhou Qinmi No. 9 (5.45%) and purple passion fruit (6.43%), whereas purple passion fruit contained higher levels of flavonoids and alkaloids than the other two varieties. Differential analysis revealed significant differences in metabolites, with 73, 96, and 114 differential metabolites between Qinzhou vs. Guilin Qinmi No. 9, Qinzhou Qinmi No. 9 vs. purple passion fruit, and Guilin Qinmi No. 9 vs. purple passion fruit, respectively. These differences influenced the taste and nutritional characteristics of passion fruit through pathways involving fructose and mannose metabolism and amino acid metabolism. These findings provide a valuable reference for passion fruit consumption, deep processing, and targeted breeding.