How to grow eggplant to get high yield?

The suitable temperature for eggplant growth is 22C ~ 30C. It has a well-developed root system and is relatively heat-resistant. It can still grow at 35C ~ 40C, but its flower organs are poorly developed. Temperatures above 45C will cause necrotic spots on the leaves. There are three main types of cultivated eggplants: long eggplant, ovate eggplant and round eggplant. Let’s learn together how to get high yield from eggplant.

1. Seedling cultivation and planting

The cultivation time of eggplant depends on the cultivation facilities. The following is a guide to eggplant seedling raising, transplanting time, facilities and planting period in the spring in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

Spring eggplant cultivation in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River usually pursues early maturity, so strong seedlings need to be cultivated. The standards for strong seedlings are usually: plant height 18 to 20 cm, plant span greater than plant height, stem thickness 0.7 to 1.0 cm, node length 1.2 to 1.5 cm, 12 to 15 true leaves, large and thick leaves, dark green leaves, large buds about to bloom, white and healthy roots without rust roots, disease-free plants, and 8 to 10 cm diameter mulch or nutrient soil around the roots.

Eggplant plants are tall and have broad leaves, which easily shade each other, so the planting density should be sparser than that of peppers and tomatoes. Generally, the row spacing is 50 cm, the plant spacing is 40 to 50 cm, and about 2,600 to 3,000 plants can be planted per mu (1 mu = 667 square meters). The planting density of early-maturing varieties is higher than that of late-maturing varieties, and the planting density of varieties with pruned leaves is higher than that of varieties without pruned leaves.

2. Field Management

After eggplant is planted, the soil should be loosened early, loosened frequently, and fertilized early to increase soil temperature and loosen the soil to promote plant growth. Eggplant likes fertilizer and is resistant to fertilizer. In addition to fertilizer for seedling promotion, top dressing should be applied once when the fruit begins to form, and heavy fertilizer should be applied after the first layer of fruit is harvested to meet the needs of the vigorous fruiting period. Eggplant has large leaves and requires a lot of water. The soil should be kept moderately moist in the early growth stage. After a large number of fruits are produced, water should be poured thoroughly. Attention should be paid to drainage during the rainy season when there is more rain. Eggplant has large leaves and tall plants, and the roots of transplanted seedlings are not deep. To prevent the soil from becoming compacted, the soil should be tilled before the plants are planted in rows, and the soil should be cultivated to prevent the plants from falling over.

Eggplant may drop flowers and fruits due to reasons such as low night temperatures, high daytime temperatures, dry soil, insufficient light, and malnutrition. If the night temperature before early May is below 15°C, to prevent the flowers from falling due to low temperature, you can treat the flowers with 30ppm 2,4-D solution or spray the flowers with 40ppm water-soluble anti-flowering agent.

To improve the ventilation and light conditions of eggplant, the side branches below the first flower should be removed. After the first and second eggplant fruits are harvested, if there are too many leaves at the base that affect ventilation and light transmission, some yellow and old leaves should be removed to reduce diseases.

3. Pest and disease control

Eggplant pests and diseases include cotton blight, brown streak disease, bacterial wilt, aphids, red spider mites, etc. Blight mainly harms fruits, but can also harm seedlings. Brown streak disease harms stems, leaves and fruits. The spots are nearly circular, brown, and grayish white in the later stage, with or without ring patterns. There are many black dot-like conidia on the spot surface. The diseased part is thin and brittle and easily perforated. The spots at the base of the stem are due to cortical rot, and strong winds can cause the plant to break and fall over. Both of these diseases are fungal diseases. Adverse environmental conditions such as high temperature, high humidity, poor ventilation and light transmission will aggravate the occurrence of the disease. Prevention and control methods include: selecting disease-free seeds; disinfecting seeds and bed soil; implementing crop rotation; clearing ditches and draining water; eradicating weeds and ensuring good ventilation and light in the fields. Spray medicine in time during the disease period, such as 0.5% Bordeaux mixture, 500 times diluted 65% Mancozeb wettable powder , 600-800 times diluted 75% Benomyl wettable powder, spray once every 7-10 days, for a total of 2-3 times.

Aphids and red spiders can be controlled with 1000 times diluted 40% dimethoate emulsion, 1500-2000 times diluted 50% malathion emulsion, 1500 times diluted 50% diazinon emulsion, 1000 times diluted 20% dicofol, as well as DDT and phoxim.

4. Harvesting and seed saving

The standard for harvesting eggplant can be judged by observing the color of the eye. If the eye and the skin are distinct in color, it means that the fruit is growing, the tissue is tender, and the quality is good. If the eggplant eyes are not obvious, it means that the growth is slow and the eggplant should be harvested in time. The appropriate time for harvesting is 18 to 20 days after flowering in warm weather. During the hot weather from June to August, the eggplants should be harvested in the morning or evening. At noon, the temperature is high and the respiration is vigorous, making them easy to shrivele. Special attention should be paid to thin-skinned varieties and eggplants supplied to other places or transported over long distances.

Eggplants for seed should be planted sparsely, and more phosphorus and potassium fertilizers should be applied, and less nitrogen fertilizer. In field management, attention should be paid to pinching the entire plant, erecting supports to prevent it from falling over, and long fruits can be supported by short bamboo poles to prevent the fruits from rotting in contact with the soil. Generally, 2 to 3 fruits can be kept on each plant. When the fruits turn yellow-brown, they are picked and placed indoors to ripen for 7 to 10 days to separate the seeds and pulp. Then they are cut into several pieces, mashed in water to squeeze out the seeds, washed and dried on cloth to avoid exposing the seeds to the scorching sun.

The above is an introduction to the key points of eggplant cultivation. When planting eggplant, it is necessary to choose suitable varieties according to regional climatic conditions, and mastering comprehensive management techniques is also key.