Brinjal cultivation

 Dear farmers,

                           Brinjal is a vegetable crop grown all over the world. A large number of cultivars differing in size, shape and colour of fruits are grown worldwide. Immature fruits are used in curries and a variety of dishes are prepared out of brinjal. Fruits are moderate sources of vitamins and minerals like phosphorous, calcium and iron and nutritive value varies from variety to variety.

Climatic requirements

Brinjal is warm season day neutral plant and is susceptible to severe frost. A long and warm growing season with a temperature range of 21-27°C is ideal for its production. Crop is 

adversely affected by chilling temperature of winter in temperature at freezing point. Generally late cultivars can withstand low temperature than early ones. Plants grown luxuriantly and yield heavily during rainy season under warm humid climatic conditions.

Soil requirements

Brinjal is a hardy crop and is cultivated under a wide range of soils. Since a long duration 

crop with high yield, well-drained and fertile soil is preferred for the crop. Crops grown in sandy 

soils yield early and those grown in clayey soils yield more. Ideal pH for cultivation of crop is 

5.5-6.6

Sowing

Seeds are sown in nursery bed and transplanted to main field after four weeks during 

summer and after 7 to 8 weeks during winter, when it is 8 - 10 cm tall. Depending on growth of 

varieties and seasons of cultivation, 300 to 3500 g seeds are required for one hectare. Since brinjal seedlings grow fast, sufficient care must be taken to sow seeds as thin or loose as possible. Hardened seedlings withstand transplanting shock better and establish well in main field.

Main field preparation and transplanting

Proper drainage is essential for growth of brinjal. Soil should be prepared to a fine tilth by 4 to 6 ploughings. FYM should be incorporated in soil at the time of final ploughing. Seedlings are transplanted in levelled land in plots of convenient size for irrigation. It may be grown on raised beds/ ridges during rainy season. In undulating land, in order to avoid soil erosion, small pits are dug at the point of planting and seedlings are planted. 

                   Spacing depends on variety, season and fertility of soil. For long duration spreading varieties, a spacing of 75-90cm x 60-75 cm and for bushy and non-spreading varieties a distance of 45-60cm on either side are given. For early and less spreading varieties, paired row planting is advantages due to, easiness in harvesting and other cultural operations.

Manures and fertilizers

Brinjal is a long duration crop with high yield potential. Flower and fruit production will be 

adversely affected when crop is grown under  low fertility conditions. Depending on, availability 25 tonnes of FYM/ha may be incorporated in soil at the time of final. ploughing Application of wet cow dung as a band, 10 -12 cm away from the plant, followed by earthing up at fortnightly interval during rainy  season is a common practice for high productivity. 

            Fertilizer requirement of crop varies with variety, season and type of soil. Fertilizer requirement for targeted production condition is estimated and 7.6 kg N, 1.4 kg P and 17.3 kg K/ha are required to produce one tonnes of fruits. Under Bangalore condition, 150 kg N and 100 Kg P20S are required.

Irrigation

Though brinjal cannot tolerate water logging, timely irrigation is essential especially for 

fruit set and development. In plains, irrigation is required at every third or 4th day during summer while in winter it should be at 10-15 days interval. During winter, care should be taken to keep soil moist to avoid crop loss due to frost injury. Being a row planted crop, drip irrigation is advantageous and water used in drip irrigation is only 24.47 cm compared to 69.18 cm under furrow method. 

                 Brinjal is mainly grown as a rainfed crop in high rainfall states like Kerala by transplanting seedlings just before onset of South West monsoon. Here also transplanted seedlings should be given one or two life irrigations for initial establishment.

Intercultural operations

It is essential to keep the field free of weeds especially at initial stages of crop growth 

and is usually done by 2-3 light hoeing or earthing up. This facilitates better aeration to root system and gives support to plants. Application of fluchloralin @ 1.5 kg a.i./ha as a pre-emergent weedicide, applied one week after transplanting seedlings, followed by one hand weeding at 30 days after planting controls a broad spectrum of weeds. Use of black polythene mulches is also efficient for suppression of weeds and for better growth of plants.

Application of growth regulators

Whole plant spray of 2-4, D (2ppm) at an interval of one week from 60 -70 days after planting from commencement of flowering increase fruit set, early yield and total yield in brinjal. Spray Mixtalool (long chain C24-C34 aliphatic alcohol) at 4 ppm, 4-6 weeks after transplanting, is also effective and gave additional yield of 7.1% in F1 hybrid Arka Navneet.

Harvesting

Brinjal fruits are harvested at immature stage after attaining full size, but before loosing its glossy appearance. Dullness of fruit indicates over maturity. Usually fruits are harvested along with its stalk with a slight twist by hand. In some varieties, a sharp knife is also used for harvesting fruits along with fleshy calyx and a portion of fruit stalk. The harvested fruits are graded and packed in baskets or in loose gunny bags. Care should be taken to remove the 

fruits affected by Phomopsis blight.

Yield

Early short duration varieties: 20-30 t/ha

Long duration varieties: 35-40 t/ha

FI hybrids: 55-80 t/ha

Storage

Fruits can be stored for 7-10 days in a fairly good condition at 7.2-10°C with 85-90% RH. Keeping quality of fruits varies with variety. It is better to store at 20°C than at 6°C and in perforated polythene bags than under open condition.

Seed production

Though brinjal is considered a self pollinated crop, varying amount of cross pollination takes place because of heterostyly. Cross pollination is mainly through honey bees and bumble bees. To encourage pollination, it is advisable to plant Mimosa pudica in the vicinity of brinjal plot. Isolation distance recommended for brinjal is 200 m for foundation seed and 100 m for 

certified seed. 

                      To maintain genetic purity, rouging should be conducted at pre flowering, flowering and initial fruiting stages. Leaving initial one or two harvests for vegetable purpose is advisable for detection and removal of off types and to avoid chances of contamination from off types.

            Fruits are harvested at full ripe stage and crushed with help of a wooden hammer or stone. Crushed fruits are soaked overnight in buckets for softening. This results in easy separation of seeds from pulp when pulp is stirred next day morning. Seeds are then washed with running water and dried under open sun light for half to one hour and later under partial shade till 8% moisture is reached. Depending on variety used and agronomic packages followed, yield varies from 100-350 kg/ha.