Brinjal (Solanum melongena)

Brinjal (Solanum melongena) Brinjal is one of the most important fruit vegetable in Bangladesh. It is a perennial shrub belongs to the family Solanaceae. It is also known as eggplant (English), aubergine (French) and begun (Bengali). It is widely grown in our country during winter and summer season. At present, it occupies 46.57 thousand hectares of land and producing about 3.40 lac metric tons with an average yield of fruit 7.30 t ha -1. Chittagong, Sylhet, Jessore, Khulna, Kustia, Pabna, Rajshahi, Bogra and Dinajpur are the pioneer district of producing brinjal. Brinjal is low in fat, protein, high in fiber and carbohydrates. It is widely used in our daily meal and also in festive Bangladeshi food. Immature fruits are mainly used in curry and mashed. It contains an antioxidant chlorogenic acid may slow the release of glucose into the bloodstream after a meal. White skinned brinjal also used as raw materials in Ayurvedic industry. Origin According to the most scientists, it is a crop of Eastern part of India, Bangladesh and China. Variety Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) has developed 12 varieties for both winter and summer season which are given below- 1. BARI Brinjal 1 (Uttara) Fruits are elliptical in shape Fruits are light violet in color Fruits set in cluster 100-150 fruits plant -1 Yield 60-65 t ha -1 2. BARI Brinjal 2 (Tarapuri) Fruits are balloon in shape and violet in color 65-75 fruits plant -1 Yield 70-75 t ha -1 3. BARI Brinjal 3 (Shuktara) Fruits are oblong and glossy purple color and 70-80 fruits plant -1 Yield 60-65 t ha -1 1

4. BARI Brinjal 4 (Kazla) Fruits are oblong & glossy purple color Fruits are medium long 70-80 fruits plant -1 Yield 60-70 t ha -1 5. BARI Brinjal 5 (Nayantara) Fruits are round and blackish violet in color 35-40 fruits plant -1 Yield 45-50 t ha -1 6. BARI Brinjal 6 Fruits are oval and light green in color 10-15 fruits plant -1 Yield during summer season 20-25 t ha -1 Yield during winter season 45-50 t ha -1 Resistant to bacterial wilt, nemic disease, jassid, and brinjal shoot and fruit borer 7. BARI Brinjal 7 Erect type plants Fruit is long, slender, glossy & blackish purple 30-35 fruits plant -1 Yield during summer season 20-25 t ha -1 Yield during winter season 45-50 t ha -1 8. BARI Brinjal 8 Erect type plant & high yielding summer variety Fruit is long, cylindrical, glossy & blackish purple 20-25 fruits plant -1 Yield 30-32 t ha -1 Resistant to bacterial wilt and nemic disease 9. BARI Brinjal 9 Fruits are oval and glossy green Fruits apex contain whitish long spots 30-35 fruits plant -1 Yield 50-55 t ha -1 Resistant to bacterial wilt & root rot disease 2

10. BARI Brinjal 10 Fruits are long, slender, glossy & blackish purple Heat tolerant variety but grow well in winter 25-30 fruits plant -1 Yield during winter 50-55 t ha -1 Yield during summer 30-35 t ha-1 Moderately resistant to bacterial wilt & nematode 11. BARI Hybrid Brinjal 3 Fruits are long, slender & blackish purple 60-70 fruits plant -1 Yield 65-70 t ha -1 12. BARI Hybrid Brinjal 4 Fruits are oval and light green 30-35 fruits plant -1 Yield 55-60 t ha -1 Tolerant to bacterial wilt Recently BARI has also released 4 Bt brinjal varieties which are given below- 1. BARI Bt Brinjal 1 (Uttara) Fruits are elliptical in shape and pink in color Fruits are set in cluster Peduncle brown in color Yield 50-55 t ha -1 2. BARI Bt Brinjal 2 (Kazla) Fruits are slender and blackish violet in color Fruits are set in cluster Peduncle brown in color Yield 45-50 t ha -1 3. BARI Bt Brinjal 3 (Nayantara) Fruits are round and blackish violet in color Peduncle greenish brown in color Yield 40-45 t ha -1 1. BARI Bt Brinjal 4 (Ishwardi or ISD006) Peduncle brown in color Fruits are oval and light green in color Yield 35-40 t ha -1 3

Also, some popular varieties are cultivating in some districts of our country. They are as follows- 2. Islampuri It is commercially cultivated at Jamalpur and Sherpur during the winter season. The plant is medium size and erect. Fruits are large, round, violet color with green spotted. Flesh is soft and tasty. 3. Laffa It is cultivated at Gafargoan in Mymensingh district during the winter season. Fruits are violet and round. Flesh is very soft and contain lesser seed. 4. Talla or tal begun It is widely cultivated at Khulna and Jessore during the winter season. Fruits are deep violet and flattened round. Flesh is soft and tasty. 5. Ishwardi It is mainly cultivated at Pabna and Rajshahi throughout the year. Stem is green and spiny. Fruits are oval, green with white stripes at apex and contain numerous seeds. 6. Bhanger It is a famous cultivar at Jessore, Kushtia and Chittagong. It is also available in the market of Dhaka during the month of October to March. Fruits are glossy and light green. Flesh is soft and tasty. 7. Khatkhatia It is a popular variety at Rangpur grown during the winter season. Fruits are violet and slender. Flesh is so thick and tasty. 8. Zhumka Dwarf type plant. Fruits are small, slender, violet and set in cluster. It is widely cultivated at Mymensingh and Northern zone of our country. 9. Dima It is an egg liked white fruit. It is grown in all parts of Bangladesh throughout the year. 10. Singnath Fruits are slender and blackish violet (kajol) in color. It is grown throughout the country mainly during karif season. 11. Nayonkajol Fruits are deep violet in color. It is more or less similar to Islampuri brinjal. 4

Production technology Climate Brinjal is a day neutral crop. It likes dry and warm environment. The optimum temperature for its better growth is 15-25 0 C. Flowering and fruits setting are usually hampered bellow 15 0 C and above 33 0 C. Heavy rainfall and water logging condition are also very harmful for this plant. Soil All types of soils are suitable for cultivation. Higher yield may be obtained when soil becomes clay loam or silt. It does not grow well on highly acidic soil. Soil should be well drained because it cannot tolerate water logging condition. The plants grow well on soil ph ranges from 5.5-6.5. Seed Rate About 100-150 g ha -1 Seed treatment Healthy seedling is the pre-condition of a good crop. To get healthy seedlings, the seeds should be treated before sowing with Provax 200 @ 2.5 g kg -1 of seed. Time of sowing Winter is the optimum time for successful production but can be grown throughout the year. August-September for winter and February-March for summer are the best time for sowing. Seedbed preparation and raising of seedlings Brinjal can not be cultivated direct seed sowing method. So, seeds are sown in the seedbed for raising seedlings and then transplanted in the main field. Before sowing of seeds, they are soaked into the water for 24 hours; the floating seeds are avoided for sowing because it appears as weak seedling and do not grow properly in the main field. About 3x1 m nursery bed is to be made 15-20 cm high with fine prepared soil mixed with 3-4 kg well rotted cowdung. Make narrow lines of 3-4 cm deep and 4 cm apart and sow the seeds continuously in lines and cover with fine soil and water lightly. Protect the seedbed from direct sun and rain. Land preparation Land should be deep ploughed, well pulverized and weed free. About 70-80 cm wide and 15-20 cm raised bed should be prepared on the field keeping 30-50 cm wide channel between two beds that will help in irrigating the crop as well as in drainage. Transplanting of seedlings The seedbed should be watered before uprooting the seedlings to minimize the damage of roots. About 30-35 days aged seedlings are suitable for transplanting having 5-6 true leaves. Transplanting in the late afternoon is suggested to allow the seedlings to recover overnight. Under large scale cultivation, watering by hand and shading are laborious and costly. Thus immediate post-transplanting irrigation is the best method of crop establishment. Plant spacing 90 x 75 cm (tall plant) and 70 x 60 cm (small plant). 5

Fertilizer dose and application method Brinjal being a long duration crop requires a good amount of manures and fertilizers. Cowdung, Urea, TSP and MP @ 10 t, 375 kg, 150 kg and 250 kg ha -1, respectively. The entire amount of cowdung, TSP and half of MoP should be applied during land preparation. The remaining half of MoP and entire amount of urea to be applied in 3 equal installments at 20, 40 and 60 days after transplanting. Intercultural operation Gap filling Missing hill should be filled up with spare seedlings within 10 days after planting. Earthing up Earthing up is done 45 days after transplanting of seedling. The plants are supported with the soil around the plant base between two rows with the help of spade. It is very essential during kharif season for drainage and winter season for irrigating properly. Weeding Weeds always compete with the main crops for light, air, moisture, nutrients etc. resulting lower yield. So, weeding should be done when it is necessary to keep the crops free of weeds. Irrigation Brinjal being a shallow rooted crop needs irrigation at frequent intervals. Irrigation should be given according to local requirements. However, the field should be irrigated every 10-12 days during the winter. Drainage Drainage is very important intercultural operation during the kharif season. Water logging condition for 2-3 days at the plant base even causes death to crops. Plant protection Major insects and control measures 1. Brinjal fruit and shoot borer (BFSB) Sanitation and pheromone trap is effective Sequential release of Trichogramma @ 1g (25,000) and Bracon hebetor @ 1bunker (800-1200) Spraying Cypermethrin @ 1.5 ml/l or Spinosad @ 0.5 ml/l of water at 15 days interval 2. Cut worm Spray Tracer @ 0.5 ml/l water is effective to control cut worm or irrigation with kerosene oil (5-7 litres kerosene / ha) or Dursban / Pyriphos 20 EC @ at 5.0 ml /litre of water should be sprayed on the soil around the seedling during evening 6

Major diseases and control measures 1. Phomopsis blight Control measure Seed treatment by 0.1% mercuric chloride or with other organo-mercurial fungicides or hot water treatment of seeds at 500º C for 30 minutes Growing of resistant varieties Spraying 1% Bordeaux mixture at regular intervals 2. Bacterial wilt Clean cultivation Use of resistant varieties Maintaining crop rotation 3. Little leaf Roughing out of the diseased plants Spraying with Folidol till to fruit set Root dipping at the time of transplanting in 1000 ppm of tetracycline followed by 3 sprays at 7 days interval for 4-5 weeks after transplanting 4. Damping off Control measure To prevent the disease, the soil of seed bed should be friable Dry ash with K fertilizer and Dithan M-45 should be mixed with soil The seeds should be treated with 10 g Vitavex or Rovral are mixed with 5 liter water before sowing of seed If needed, 2-3 g Dithan M-45 or Sapnil are mixed with per liter of water should be sprayed on the collar region of the affected seedlings. Harvesting The fruits are harvested before fully ripens, when attain good size, bright and glossy appearance. About 60-90 days after transplanting of seedlings fruits become mature and can be harvested. Yield The yield varies with the cultivars, region and management practices etc. However, the average yield varies from 25-50 t ha -1. 7