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Brinjal
(Solanum melongena)
1) Introduction:
Brinjal (Solanum melongena L) is an important vegetable crop of subtropics and tropics in India.
Its fruits are good source of calcium, phosphorus, iron and vitamins particularly vitamin ‘B’.
Brinjal is grown in an area of 0.72 million ha with production of 13.44 million tones and 18.70
tones/ha productivity. The crop is grown extensively in warm climates mainly in India,
Bangladesh, Pakistan, China and Philippines. It requires long growing season with high average
day and night temperature.
There are several names by which the crop is known in India, but brinjal is the most familiar.
Brinjal is also called 'eggplant' or 'aubergine'. It is a perennial but grown commercially as an
annual crop. A number of cultivars are grown in India, consumer preference being dependent upon
fruit colour, size and shape.
2) Land selection and preparation: The brinjal can be grown in all types of soil varying from light sandy to heavy clay. Light soils are
good for an early yield, while clay-loam and silt-loam are well suited for higher yield. Loam and
sandy soil of normal and higher status are best suited for brinjal cultivation. Since the crop remain
in the field for a number of months.
The soil should be thoroughly prepared by ploughing 4 to 5 times before transplanting the
seedlings. Bulky organic manures like well rotten crowding or compost should be incorporated
evenly on the soil.
Manuring:
Brinjal is a heavy feeder crop. Therefore a balance application of manure and fertilizers is very
important for successful crop production. Further the brinjal being a long duration crop requires a
good amount of manure and fertilizers. Well rotten farmyard manure or compost (20-25t/ha)
should be incorporated at the time of field preparation. The crop should be supplemented with 100-
120 kg nitrogen and 50-60 kg each of phosphorus and potash hybrid requires more amount of
fertilizers. Full dose of phosphorus and potash and half of N is applied at the of final field
preparation before transplanting and the remaining quantity of N as urea is applied in two to three
splits after 30, 45 and 60 days of transplanting in the farm of top dressing.
3. Season and climate: Season of planting: December – January & May – June.
The brinjal is a warm season crop, therefore susceptible to severe frost. Low temperature during
the cool season causes deformation of fruits. A long and warm growing season is desirable for
successful brinjal production. Cool nights and short summers are unsuited to satisfactory yield. A
daily mean temperature of 13 to 21C is most favourable for optimum growth and yield. The brinjal
seed germinate well at 25C.
4. Selection of crop/ Variety/Planting material:
Long Vareities:
Pusa purple Long: It is extra early variety, becomes
ready for picking in about 75-80 days after sowing during
autumn-winter season and takes 100-110 days during
spring-summer season. After normal transplanting it
becomes ready for picking in about 45 days. It is a
selection from a mixed batia variety commonly grown in
Punjab, Delhi and Western Uttar Pradesh. It has semi-
erect to bushy habit, me3dium in height. Fruits are long,
slender, purple, and glossy, 25-25 cm long tend to drop
drown and touch the ground. It is heavy yielder. Average
yield is 300 q/ha.
Pusa Purple Cluster: A medium- early variety,
developed at IARI. New Delhi, Fruits are 10-12 cm
long, deep purple in colour and borne in clusters of 4-9
suitable for southern and northern hills, moderately
resistant to bacteria wilt.
Arka Keshev: Fruits 18-20 cm long. 5-6 cm in
diameter and dark purple. They are bright, soft
and contain less seed. Yields 300-400 q/ha.
Round Varities:
Pusa Purple Round: It was developed at IARI,
New Delhi, Each weighs 137g. It is tolerant to
little leaf and shoots and fruit borer.
Pant Rituraj: A derivative of T-3×PPC from Pantnager.
Fruits are almost round. Attractive purple in colour, soft,
less seeded and endowed with good flavour. Average yield
is 400q/ha. It possesses field resistance to bacterial wilt.
Punjab Bahar, Arka Kusumaker, T-3
Arka Kusumaker: An improvement over
the local collection (IIHR-193) from
Karnataka. Fruits small, long, borne in
clusters of 5 to 7, good in texture and cooking
qualities and skin light green. Average yield
is 330 q/ha.
Oval Varieties:
Arka Navneet (F1): A cross between IIHR 22-1×Supreme from Bangalore. Fruits oval- round and
free from bitterness. Fruit skin attractive, deep purple, Flesh soft and while with few seeds. Yeild
is 650- 700 q/ha
Pusa Uttam, Dudhia, BH-2(F1).
4.1 Nursery Management:
Raising seedlings:
➢ Block of 3 m length, 1.0 m wide and 0.15 m Height are prepared. Add 15 kg well rotten
farmyard manure in each bed. A small quantity of super phosphate may be used.
➢ Drench the nursery beds with captan (2 g/kg seed) if not treated already. Sow the seeds 1
cm deep in rows 5 cm apart.
➢ Cover the seeds with the mixture of well rotten manure and fine soil and press it well.
Cover the beds with wheat husk or clean dry grass. Do watering with fine rose-can in
morning and evening.
➢ After the break of monsoon, drench the soil around seedlings with Captan (1g/liter water)
as a precaution against damping off disease.
➢ Germination of seeds and growth of plants in nursery slow because of low temperature
during November- January.
➢ The seedlings should be protected from cold winds and frost by proper covering. The small
low cost playhouses may be used to raise the seedling in the winters.
Seed treatment:
• Treat the seeds with Trichoderma viride @ 4 g / kg or Pseudomonas fluorescens @ 10 g /
kg of seed.
• Treat the seeds with Azospirillum @ 40 g / 400 g of seeds using rice gruel as adhesive.
• Irrigate with rose can. In raised nursery beds, sow the seeds in lines at 10 cm apart and
cover with sand.
• Transplant the seedlings 30 – 35 days after sowing at 60 cm apart in the ridges.
Transplanting:
➢ The seedlings are ready in 4-5 weeks for transplanting, when they attained a height of 12-
15 cm with 3-to 4leavess.
➢ Harden the seedlings by withholding irrigation.
➢ Uproot the seedlings carefully without injury to the roots.
➢ Transplanting should be done during evening hours followed by irrigation.
➢ Firmly press the soil around the seedlings.
➢ Spacing depends upon the fertility status of soil, type of verities and suitability of the
season.
➢ In general 60×60 cm spacing is kept for non-spreading type verities and 75-90×60-75 cm
for spreading type verities
Spacing:
Varieties: 60 x 60 cm.
Hybrids: 90 x 60 cm.
Seed rate:
Varieties: 400 g / ha
Hybrids: 200 g / ha.
5. Water management: Irrigation the field as per the need of crop. Timely irrigation is quite essential for good growth,
flowering, fruit setting and development of fruits. Higher yield may be obtained at optimum
moisture level and soil fertility conditions. In plains irrigation should be applied every third to
fourth day during hot weather and every 7 to12 days during winter. Irrigation is given before top
dressing of there is no rain. The brinjal field should be regularly irrigated to keep the soil moist
during frosty days.
6. Integrated nutrient management:
A) Introduction: • Brinjal responds well to application of fertilizers both under irrigated and rainfed
conditions.
• In order to produce desired crop growth and obtain maximum benefit, the farmers have to
use varying rates of variety of fertilizers supplying nutrients minerals essential for
successful production.
• It is therefore important that the growers should also have a thorough knowledge on the
various aspects of mineral nutrients, their functions, sources and their uses for obtaining
better yield.
6.1) Organic fertilizers:
▪ FYM 25 t/ha, NPK 50:50:30 kg/ ha.
▪ Neem cake 5kg.
▪ Vermicompost 2 bags.
6.2) Biofertilizers: Biofertilizers are Pseudomonas, Trichoderma, Phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) .
6.3) Chemical Fertilizers:
Stage Crop stage Duration
in days
Fertilizer
grade
Fertilizer
(kg/ha)
Nutrient applied % of
requirement
N P K N P K
1
Transplanting
to plant
establishment
stage
10
19:19:19
+MN
13:0:45
Urea
39.47
5.50
25.65
7.50
0.70
11.80
7.50
-
-
7.50
2.50
-
10.00 5.00 10.00
Subtotal 20.00 7.50 10.00
2 Vegetative
stage 30
12:61:0
13:0:45
Urea
24.50
88.89
142.4
2.94
11.56
65.50
15.00
-
-
40.00
-
-
40.00 10.00 40.00
Subtotal 80.00 15.00 40.00
3
Flower
initiation to
first picking
30
19:19:19
+MN
13.0:45
Urea
39.47
50.00
100.00
7.50
6.50
46.00
7.50
-
-
7.50
22.50
-
30.00 5.00 30.00
Subtotal 60.00 7.50 30.00
4 Harvesting 80
12:61:0
13:0:45
Urea
12.30
44.40
71.13
1.48
5.80
32.72
7.50
-
-
-
20.00
-
20.00 5.00 20.00
Subtotal 40.00 7.50 20.00
200.00 37.50 100.0
0
100 25 100
6.4.2) Foliar application
1. Bio- Max
Special features:
❖ It increases fruit size.
❖ It stimulates flowering.
❖ Improves Performance by reducing nutrient
deficiency.
❖ Improves stress tolerance ability.
❖ Compatible with all Pesticides and Insecticides.
Dosage and application:
❖ Dissolve 3 ml of “Bio Maxx” in 1 liter of water.
❖ Spray 20-30days before flowering
❖ Second spray after fruit set. (I.e. when fruit attains
bean size).
2. Total : ❖ “Total” is a unique micronutrient mixture along with other essential mineral nutrients which are
required for comprehensive plant growth and development.
❖ Nutrients present in “Total” are in readily available from both through phyllosphere and
rhizosphere making the product highly economical and environmentally judicious.
Dosage and application: Dissolve 5 g of “Total” in every liter of water or 1kg in 200 litres of
water and spray on both surfaces of leaves. Repeat spray at monthly interval.
3. Criyazyme : ❖ Imparts immunity to various biotic and abiotic.
❖ Stresses through proper nutrition.
❖ Enhances yield and productivity leading to higher.
❖ Economic gain Very good for INM and IPM practices.
Dosage and application: Dissolve 2-3 liter in every liter of water and thoroughly spray until
foliage is completely covered.
6.4.3) Drip application :
Zen Bio Fertilizer,
Bumper crop kit
Bumper Crop helps in production superior crops by providing balanced nutrition in available
form by reducing the disease incidence.
Dosage and application:
❖ For Drenching: Mix 1 packet in 100 litre of water and drench the roots of plant for 30 minutes
before sowing.
❖ Drip Irrigation: Mix I packet with 100– 200L of water and apply through Drip Irrigation.
Bio NPK kit
Drip Irrigation: Mix I packet with 100– 200L of water and apply through Drip Irrigation
6.4.3) Drip application : Zen Bio Fertilizer, Bumper crop kit, Bio NPK kit.
6.5 Nutritional deficiency symptoms:
A) Nitrogen:
Deficiency symptom • Plants remain stunted and
unbranched and turn pale green.
• The leaves are markedly small in
size and stiff in texture.
• Older leaves gradually start getting
bleached from margin inwards to a
pale white colour and finally shed
prematurely.
• The fruits are small in size, pale in
colour, maturing early.
• Flowering and fruiting, yield
decrease considerably.
Management: • Apply 100 kg of nitrogen as basal dressing.
• Spray 2% urea solution (20g/liter) to the point of run off for proper growth and development.
B) Phosphorus:
Deficiency symptom
• Stunted growth of plants, but they remained normal green in colour.
• Leaves are smaller in size and turn dirty greyish green, with patches and shed prematurely,
resulting bare stem in lower parts of the plant
• The fruits are small, pale in colour and mature early.
Management:
Spray 1 % super phosphate solution (10 g/liter) to the point of run-off to resume fresh growth.
C) Potassium:
Deficiency symptom
➢ Stunted growth of plants
➢ Marked reduction in the
number and size of leaves.
➢ Brown patches appear on the
leaves and necrotic lesions
develops along the veins
followed by defoliation.
Management:
• Apply 50 kg of potassium in the form
of Muriate of Potash as basal
dressing.
• Spray 0.5 % (5 g/lit) potassium chloride to the point of run-off when deficiency is noticed.
D) Sulphur:
Deficiency symptoms:
• Leaves turn pale yellow in colour
• Plant growth is retarded.
• New leaves become narrow, more pointed and chlorotic.
Management:
➢ Several fertilizers used to add sulphur nutrients in sulphate form eg., ammonium sulphate,
potassium sulphate and as supply of sulphur.
➢ Spray wettable sulphur @ 2 g/liter to the point of run-off.
E) Calcium:
Deficienc symptoms
• The symptom appear first on young leaves as chlorotic patches.
• Margins of young leaves become yellow.
• The stems are thick and woody.
• Pale brown sunken areas develop on the fruits.
Management:
• Gypsum (calcium sulphate) @ 100 kg/ha can be used where it is desirable to increase calcium
levels in the soil without affecting soil pH.
• Calcium nitrate or calcium chloride (3 g/lit) solution can be sprayed to the point of run-off.
F) Magnesium:
Deficiency symptoms:
• Deficiency is likely on intensively cropped sandy soils if little organic manure is used.
• Magnesium deficient plants are markedly stunted in growth.
• At later stages, lower leaves develop characteristic interveinal chlorosis from margin inwards in
a typical inverted 'V' shaped.
• Leaves ultimately turned to yellow.
Management:
• Spray magnesium sulphate @ 3 g/liter of water to the point of run-off.
7) Integrated pest management:
Introduction: Integrated pest management (IPM), also known as integrated pest control (IPC)
is a broad-based approach that integrates practices for economic control of pests. IPM aims to
suppress pest populations below the economic injury level (EIL).
Principles of IPM: • Acceptable pest levels
• Preventive cultural practices
• Monitoring
• Mechanical controls
• Biological control
7.1) Insect pests:
1) Shoot and fruit borer: Leucinodes orbonalis
Symptoms of damage:
• Withering of terminal shoots/dead hearts
• Bore holes on shoots and fruits plugged
with excreta
• Shedding of flower buds
• Withering and drying of leaves.
Identification of pest:
• Eggs: Creamy white eggs
• Larva: Pink in colour
• Pupa: Greyish boat shaped cocoon
• Adult: Medium sized moth.
Forewings has black and brown
patches and dots on white colour, hind
wings are opaescent with black dots.
Management:
• Remove the affected terminal shoot showing boreholes.
• Remove the affected fruits and destroy.
• Avoid continuous cropping of brinjal crop
• Grow the varieties with long and narrow fruits in endemic areas
• Install pheromone trap@12/ha
• Encourage the activity of larval parasitoids: Pristomerus testaceus, Cremastus
flavoorbitalis
• Avoid use of synthetic pyrethroids
• Neem seed kernel extract (NSKE) 5 %.
2) Stem borer: Euzophera perticella
Symptoms of damage:
• Top shoots of young plants
droop and wither.
• Older plants become stunted.
• Fruit bearing is affected
Identification of pest:
• Egg: Cream, scale-like
• Larva: Fully grown larva is
creamy white
• Adult: Greyish brown,
forewings has transverse line
and hind wings are white in
colour.
Management:
• Collect and destroy the damaged and dead plants
• Light trap @1/ha to attract and kill adults
• Spray neem oil 2ml/lit
• Avoid using synthetic pyrethriods causing resurgence.
2) Hadda / spotted beetle: H.vigintioito punctata
Symptoms of damage:
• Scrapping of
chlorophyll
• Skeletonization and
drying of leaves.
Identification of pest:
• Eggs: Cigar shaped,
yellow in colour
• Grub: Yellowish
bearing six rows of
longitudinal spines.
• Pupa: Yellowish with
spines on posterior part
and anterior portion
being devoid of spines.
• Adult: 14 spots on
each elytra, deep red.
Management:
• Collect damaged leaves with grubs and egg masses and destroy them
• Shake plants to dislodge grubs, pupae and adults and destroy
• Conserve natural enemies in brinjal ecosystem
• Spray Carbaryl 50 WP @ 3g/liter.
3) Ash weevils: Myllocerus subfasciatus, M. discolor, M. viridanus
Symptoms of damage:
• Notching of leaf margins
• Grubs feed on roots
causing wilting of plants
Identification of pest:
• Larva Grub: Small and
apodous
• Pupa: Pupates in soil in
earthen cocoons
• Adult:
• M. maculosus:
• M. subfasciatus:
• M. discolor
• M. viridanus
Management:
• Collect and destroy adults
• Apply Neem cake @ 500 kg/ha at the time of last ploughing
• In endemic areas, apply carbofuran 3 G @15 kg/ha on 15 days after planting
• Spray carbaryl 50 WP @3g + wettable sulphur 2g/liter.
4) Brown leaf hopper : Cestius phycitis
Symptoms of damage:
• Reduction in size of leaves
• Shortened petioles
• Excessive growth of
branches general stunting
of plants
• Conversion of floral parts
into leafy structures
• Plants become bushy
• Fruiting is rare
• Vector of little leaf of
brinjal
Identification of pest:
Adult: Small light brown
leaf hopper
Little leaf of brinjal
Little leaf of brinjal
Adult
Management:
• Remove infected plants and destroy them
• Before transplantation dip the seedlings in 0.2% carbofuran 50 STD solution (control insect
vectors)
• Spray with dimethoate 0.3%
5) Lace wing bug: Urentius hystricellus
Symptoms of damage:
• Yellowing of leaves
• Affected leaves covered
with exuviae and excreta
Identification of pest:
• Egg: White nibble shaped
eggs
• Nymph: yellowish white
with prominent spines
• Adult: Dorsal side -straw
coloured
• Ventral side -black
coloured
• Pronotum and forewings
eticulated
Management:
• Spray dimethoate 30 EC @ 1 lit/ha or methyl demeton 25 EC @ 1 lit/ha.
Disease Management:
1. Bacterial Wilt: (Pseudomonas solanacearum)
Symptoms:
➢ The characteristic symptoms include wilting of the foliage followed by collapse of the
entire plant.
➢ The wilting is characterized by dropping and slight yellowing of leaves and vascular
discolouration.
➢ Drying of plants at the time of flowering and fruiting are also characteristic to the disease
condition.
➢ The infected cut stems pieces when dipped in water, a white milky stream of bacterial
oozes coming out which is the diagnostic symptom for bacterial wilt.
Management
➢ Follow crop rotation.
➢ Rogue out the infected plants and destroy them
➢ Raise nursery in disease free beds.
➢ Soil fumigation with Formalin at 7% before sowing.
➢ Seed treatment with Streptocycline (150 ppm) for 90 minutes.
➢ Pant samrat variety is tolerant.
➢ Crop rotation with cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower help in reducing the disease
incidence.
➢ Fields should be kept clean and effected parts are to be collected and burnt.
➢ Spray Copper fungicides to control the disease (2% Bordeaux mixture.)
➢ The disease is more prevalent in the presence of root knot Nematodes, so control of these
nematodes will suppress the disease spread
2. Cercospora Leaf Spot :Cercospora solani –melongenae.
Symptoms:
• The spots are brown and irregular in shape. Concentric rings are present in them. Several
spots may coalesce to form larger necrotic patches
• Fruits are also affected. Large, necrotic sunken spots develop on the fruit which turns
yellow and drops.
• Diseased crop debris in soil is the main source of primary inoculum.
Management
• Pant Samrat variety is resistant to both the leaf spots.
• Diseases can be managed by growing resistant varieties.
• Spraying 1 per cent Bordeaux mixture or 2 g Copper oxychloride or 2.5 g Zineb per liter
of water effectively controls leaf spots.
• Seed treatment with Carbendazim @ 2 g per kg followed by Trichoderma viridae @ 4 g
per kg of seed 24 hours prior to sowing gives adequate control.
• Spraying Mancozeb 75 % WP @ 3 g per liter of water to the point of run-off effectively
controls the disease.
3. Alternaria leaf Spot : Alternaria melongenae
Symptoms:
• The spots are brown and irregular in shape. Concentric rings are present in them. Several spots
may coalesce to form larger necrotic patches
• Fruits are also affected. Large, necrotic sunken spots develop on the fruit which turns yellow and
drops
4. Damping Off: Pythium aphanidermatum, Pythium indicum, , Phytophthora parasitica,
Rhizoctonia solani
Pre-emergence damping-off: The pre-emergence damping off results in seed and seedling rot
before these emerge out of the soil.
Post-emergence damping-off: The post-emergence damping off phase is characterized by
infection of the young, juvenile tissues of the collar at the ground level. The infected tissues
become soft and become water soaked. The collar portion rots and ultimately the seedlings collapse
and die
Management
• Healthy seed should be selected for sowing.
• The seed should be treated with Thiram @ 2g/kg of seed before sowing.
• Continuous raising of nursery in the same plot should be avoided.
• The top soil of nursery should be treated with Thiram @ 5g/m2 area of the soil and nursery
should be drenched with the same chemical @ 2g/liter of water at fortnightly interval.
• Soil solarization by spreading 250 gauge polythene sheet over the bed for 30 days before
sowing and application of bio-control agent Trichoderma viride in soil @ 1.2kg/ha is also
found effective to control damping-off to considerable extent.
• Seed treatment with Carbendazim @ 2 g per kg followed by Trichoderma viride @ 4 g per
kg of seed 24 hours prior to sowing gives adequate control.
• If the disease is noticed in nursery, drench the soil with 0.1 per cent copper oxy chloride
(10g/liter) in the initial stage itself.
5. Collar rot: Sclerotium rolfsii
Symptoms
• The disease occasionally occurs in serious form.
• The lower portion of the stem is affected from the soil borne inoculum (sclerotia).
• Decortications is the main symptom.
• Exposure and necrosis of underlying tissues may lead to collapse of the plant.
• Near the ground surface on the stem may be seen the mycelia and sclerotia.
• Lack of plant vigour, accumulation of water around the stem, and mechanical injuries
help in development of this disease.
Management
• Seed treatment with 4 g of Trichoderma viride formulation per kg seed will help in
reducing the disease.
• Spraying with Mancozeb @ 2g/Litre of water.
• Collection and destruction of diseased parts and portions of the plant.
6. Phomopsis Blight: Phomopsis vexan
Symptom
• The disease is present in one or other form from the seedling stage to fruit maturity.
• In the seedbeds, it appears as damping off.
• After transplanting, the leaves coming in contact with soil may get infected and show circular,
grey to brown spots with light colored centre.
• The affected leaves turn yellow and dry.
• Sometimes petioles and stems are attacked and show cankers.
• The lesions on the stem are dark brown becoming grey in the centre as the black pycnidia
develop.
• Mostly the stem base is attacked and is characterised by constriction of the base or a grey dry rot.
• The skin peels off and the inner tissues are exposed.
• In strong wind, infected plants topple down due to breaking of the main stem.
Management
• Use healthy seed materials for sowing.
• Seed should be extracted only from disease free fruits.
• After extraction of seeds it should be dried for a week and then stored.
• Avoid continuous cultivation of brinjal. A rotation of brinjal - paddy - gingelly will helps to check
the disease development.
• In the fields the affected plants and debris should be collected and burnt
• During summer deep ploughing should be given.
• Spray Mancozeb 75 % WP @ 3 g per liter of water in the early vegetative stage.
7. Sclerotina Blgiht: Sclerotinia sclerotiorum
Symptoms:
• The infection may occur at any part of the foliage, mainly the stem or branches.
• At the point of infection, a dry and discoloured spot develops.
• It gradually girdles the entire stem and also progresses up and down.
• As a result of tissue necrosis, the portion of the plant beyond the point of infection wilts.
Management
• Immediately after harvest, the affected plants and debris should be collected and burnt.
• Deep summer ploughing should be given in such a way that surface soil is buried deep.
• Rotation of cropping pattern with crops like beet root, onion, maize, paddy and gingelly eliminate
the fungal inoculum in the field.
• Spraying Mancozeb 75 % WP @ 3 g per liter or Carbandazim 50% WP @ 2 g per liter controls
the disease.
8. Weed management:
Cultural and physical methods
➢ Summer ploughing
➢ Proper crop stand
➢ Intercropping
➢ Crop rotation
➢ Solarisation
➢ Burning the crop residues and weeds
➢ Mulching
Manual Weeding
➢ Remove the weeds by hoeing on 30th day of planting and earthing up.
➢ Depending upon the need, hoeing should be repeated once in a month.
Biological methods
• Allow cattle for grazing during the lean period.
Chemical methods, the herbicide recommendation for brinjal is given in table.
Herbicide Dose(kg
ai/ha)
Commercial
product
Dose
(l/ha)
Time of application
Fluchloralin 1.00 Basalin 48 EC 2.00 Pre-plant
incorporation
Pendimethalin 1.00 Stomp 30 EC 2.50 Pre-emergence
Butachlor 1.50 Machete 50 EC 3.00 Pre-emergence
• The herbicidal application should be done when there is sufficient moisture in soil.
9. Cultural Practices:
The field should be kept weed-free, especially in the initial stage of plant growth, as
weeds compete with the crop and reduce the yield drastically. Frequent shallow cultivation
should be done at regular interval so as to keep the field free from weeds and to facilitate soil
aeration and proper root development. Deep cultivation is injurious because of the damage of
roots and exposure of moist soil to the surface. Two-three hoeing and the earthing up are
required to keep the crop free of weeds. Pre- emergence application of Fluchloralin (1.5 kg
a.i./ha) coupled with one hand weeding 30 days after transplanting is effective for control of
weeds.
Crop Rotation:
Should not fallow crop rotation with bhendi, tomato, chilli.
10. Harvesting:
• The first harvest starts from 55-60 days after transplanting.
• The fruits are edible from the time they are one-third growth until they reach full size.
• The fruits should be harvested at right maturity depending upon the variety and market preference.
• High yields will be produced if fruits are harvested before they reach full size, provided they are
well colored and of good size.
• Fruits are harvested by hand at immature and mature sizes, while the skin is still glossy, but before
the skin toughens and seeds become matured.
• Quality is superior in fruit harvested at less than full size.
• Over matured fruits are not good in quality and care should therefore be taken that the fruits are
picked when three- fourth growth.
• The fruits are clipped from the plant, leaving the calyx cup intact with the fruit.
• The harvesting should be done early in the morning or in the late evening to protect the fruits from
the heat of the day.
• Harvest can be made once in 5 days and as many as 15 to 20 pickings are made.
Yield:
• Varieties:25 to 30 t/ha
• Hybrids:60 - 80 t/ha
11. Post-harvest handling:
Sorting and Grading:
➢ The skin is very tender and easily punctured; therefore care in harvest, grading and packing is
essential.
➢ Very careful handling is essential because even slight bruising will disfigure the fruit.
➢ The fruits of each variety should be packed separately.
➢ The fruit is not suitable for prolonged storage and will suffer serious injury if exposed to
temperature below 10oC.
➢ A high quality fruit must be heavy in relation to size, with glossy uniform colour, free from
surface cuts or bruises and showing no decay spots.
➢ Brinjal is sold for distant as well as local markets.
➢ Retail preference appears to be small, uniform sized fruits.
Packaging:
Packaging is also one of the important aspects to consider in addressing postharvest losses
in fruits and vegetables. It is enclosing food produce or product to protect it from mechanical
injuries, tampering, and contamination from physical, chemical, and biological sources. Some
common packaging materials used in most developing countries include wooden crates, cardboard
boxes, woven palm baskets, plastic crates, nylon sacks, jute sacks, and polythene bags.
Storage: ➢ The fruit can be stored for two to three days during winter and one to two days during
summer under ordinary conditions but it can be kept for about a week in a fairly good
conditions at 7.2o to 100 C and 85 to 95% relative humidity.
➢ Brinjal fruits are sensitive to chilling injury below 500F and deteriorate rapidly at warm
temperatures, so they are not adapted to long storage.
➢ Pitting, surface bronzing, and browning of seeds are symptoms of chilling injury.
➢ Chilled fruits are susceptible to Alternaria decay when they are returned to room
temperatures.
➢ Eggplants are sold for distant as well as for local markets, because the fruits do not keep
well, they are stored only fir incidental movement to market.
➢ Fruits can usually be held no more than 7-10 days at 46-540F and 90-95% relative
humidity.
Transportation:
In most developing countries, the production sites for many brinjal producers are far from
the marketing centres and also inaccessible by road. Transporting harvested brinjals to the market
on such bad road network and the lack of proper transportation like refrigerated vans become a big
challenge for both producers and distributors. This challenge therefore causes unnecessary delays
in getting the produce to the market. Meanwhile, any delay between harvest and consumption of
tomatoes can result in losses. Losses of up to about 20% are incurred by producers due to
transportation delays.
Cost of Cultivation and Profitability of Brinjal Crop
Item No.of
unit Cost / unit Total
1.Preparatory tillage
1.1 Ploughing by tractor with (1time)
M.B. plough 4 hour 500 2000
1.2 Ploughing by tractor with (2
times) cultivator 2 hour 500 1000
1.3 Ploughing by tractor with (1
times) Rotavator with planting 2 hours 600 1200
2. Layout
2.2 Planting material (400g) 1 2500 2500
2.3 Sowing (4 labours for 1 days) 4 labours 300 1200
4.Manures and fertilizers
3.1 FYM 25t Rs.600/t 15000
3.2 Urea 200kg Rs. 6/kg 1200
3.3 SSP 37kg Rs. 9/kg 333
3.4 MOP 100kg Rs. 15/kg 1500
3.5 DNP-G 100 kg Rs 16/kg 1600
3.6 PH-50 20 kg Rs 70/kg 1400
Amino-G 10 kg Rs 70/kg 700
3.5 Expenditure on manures
application 4 labours Rs. 200/ t of FYM 5000
3.6 Expenditure on fertilizer
application (for 1 day) 4 labours 200 / labour 800
3.7 Neem cake 150 kg 600/bag 1500
5. Intercultural
operations
4.1 Weeding (for 1 day) Two times 4 labours 250 1000
6.Irrigation
application
5.1 Labour charges (1men for
irrigation of 35days) 40 200 8000
5.2 Drip water system ( Used for
further) 20000
7.Plant protection
6.1 Labour for spraying (3 men per
spray) 3 labours 300 900
6.2 Malathion300ml 1000ml 600 600
6.3 Carbofuran 1000g 600 600
6.4 Pacilomyces lilacinu 1000g 450 450
6.4 Trichoderma viride 2kg 400 800
6.5 Bumper crop kit 1 kit 800 800
6.6 Dithen M 45 500g 500 500
6.7 Mancozeb & Metalaxyl 1000g 580 580
6.8 Carbendazim 1000g 550 550
6. 9 Miscellaneous cost 1 3538 3538
7.Harvesting and Marketing
7.1 Harvesting 5 labours 500 2500
7.3 Transportation 2000 2000
Total 79751
Yield / acre 25 tonns
Market value/kg 15 rupees
Total Revenue 375000/-
Profit/loss = Total revenue - total expences Profit 295249/-
References: ❖ Agropedia.
❖ Criyagen Agri App, Banglore.
❖ ICRISAT.
❖ TNAU,Portal.
❖ www.kisan.com.
❖ UAS,Banglore.
❖ UAS, dharwad.
❖ IARI, New delhi.
❖ IIVR, Varanasi.
