BRINJAL (Solanum melongena L)

Brinjal or Egg plant, Solanum melongena L. belongs to the family Solanaceae.
Origin: It is the native of India with china as the secondary centre.
Nutritive value: the unripe fruit is used as a vegetable. It contains vitamins A and B. white brinjal is said to be good for diabetic patients.
Area & distribution:
India - 62,000 ha
A.P - 18,211 ha

It is believed that the crop occupied much larger average of kitchen and small scale plantings are account for West Godavari, East Godavari, Visakhapatnam And Guntur districts cover about 50 % of total area under brinjal in Andhra Pradesh.
Botany:
Brinjal is a herbaceous annual with an erect or semi spreading habit. The fruit is berry, Borne singly or in clusters. It is self pollinated crop, but cross pollination has been reported to a maximum extent of 20 %.
Based on the length of the style, four types of flowers have been described in brinjal.
The four types are:
1. Long Styled
2. Medium Styled
3. Pseudo Short Styled
4. True Short Styled
Only long styled and medium styled flowers marked by swollen every at the base bear fruits. The other types have rudimentary ovaries which do not set into fruits.
Varieties differ in shape and colour of fruits and a in the growth habit of the planet. Based on this varieties have been classified into three groups. The round or egg shaped varieties grouped under Solanum melongena L. var. esculentum.
The long slender types are put under variety among the several species, solanum ouriculatum was found immune to little loaf virus (caused by mycoplasma) which may possibly be used for breeding resistant varieties.
Climate: brinjal requires along and warm growing season. it is susceptible to frost. A daily mean temperature of 18.3°C to 21.1°C is most favorable for production.
Soil:
Brinjal is a hardy plant and can be grown on different soils. A well drained fertile soil is desirable. For an early crop sand or sandy loan soil is preferred. It does best in PH Range of 6 to 7.
Sowing seasons:
There are two to three main seasons for sowing brinjal in plains. It can however be grown through the year in Andhra Pradesh.
1. Autumn - winter crop: seed is sown in June –July and see dings transplanted in August.
2. Spring - summer crop: Seed is sown early in November – and seedlings transplanted during December-January this crop is possible only in the areas where frost is not is not severe
.
3. Rainy season crop: Seed is sown in April-may and the seedlings transplanted in June.
In Hills: Seed is sown in April and the seedlings are transplanted in May.

Seed rate: One gram contains about 250 seeds, 500-700 gms , of seed are needed for one hectare.
Transplanting and spacing:
Seedlings about 10-12 cm higher ready for transplanting in 5 to 6 weeks. Planting is done generally on first ground, rarely on ridges and furrows. 50-60 cm apart from row to row and plant to plant for bushy, non- spreading types.
75 to 90 cm between rows
60 to 70 cm between plants For spreading varieties.

Improved varieties: Varieties recommended by the IARI, New Delhi’
1. Pusa purple long: I t is a selection from the mixed “Batia” variety grown in Punjab, Delhi and Western U.P. Early fruiting variety, ready for picking in 100 to 110 days, Fruits are slender, shining, purple and long about 20-25 cm in length.
2. Pusa purple round: Dar purple round fruits.
3. Pausa purple cluster: Medium growth, small dark purple fruits in cluster.
4. Pusa Kranti: Fruits are oblong and stocky rather slender with dark purple colour.
5. Pusa anmol: A hybrid, Fruits dark purple and oblong. Gives early and increased yield over ‘Pusa Purple Long’
Varieties recommended by Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (I.I.H.R) Bangalore for the southern Plains:
1. Arka Navaneet: High yielding round variety with shining deep Purple colour. Fruit has excellent cooking quality. Yields about 392 / ha.
2. Arka Kusumakar: Dwarf Bushy variety bears finger shaped green fruits in clusters, Heavy yields giving 397 c/ha.
3. Arka shiris: (long green) Extra long green fruits with few needs. Early variety.
4. Arka sheel : (Dark purple long). Medium long thick fruits with deep shining purple colour /
5. PKM/1: Round fruited variety from pantnagar .
6. Bhagmati: released by AP agricultural university.
F1 Hybrids: The first generation hybrids not only give earlier and higher yields , but also more resistant to adverse whether conditions and pests and diseases. A well chosen varietal combination can given 80 to 100 percent higher yield then the better parents. The following are best combinations selected for f1 hybrids in brinjal.
Pusa purpule long X hyderpur – pusa anmol (IA RI. New Delhi. )
IHR 22-1-2-1 X supreme – arka navneeth (IIHR. Bangalore.)
Since the cost of hybrid seed production of brinjal is not high compared to other vegetables and as this can be further reduced by the use of male sterile lines, F1 hybrid can be recommended for commercial cultivations.
MANURES & FERTILIZERS:
25 to 50 tones of FYM / ha
45 to 110 Kg of N in the form of ammonium sulphate / ha
66 to 110 kg of p205 in the form of super phosphate / ha
56 to 135 Kg of k2o in the form of muriate of potash / ha
FYM to be applied at the time of field preparation, where as complete dose of phosphatic and potassic fertilizers or top dressed just before transplanting of the seedlings nitrogen should be given in three splits. First dose ½ a month after transplanting: the second, one month after the first dose, and the final dose three and half months after transplanting.
Intercultural Operations:
Only shallow cultivation to control weeds or to work in top dressings of fertilizer is necessary.
Irrigation:
The frequency of irrigation may be 4 to 5 days during hot weather and one a fortnight in winter. In regions where frost is a common occurrence, irrigation should be given frequently to keep the soil moist. About 100 to 110 cm of irrigation is required for a successful brinjal crop.

Fruit set:
Fruit setting is a problem in certain varieties especially those with pseudo short styled and true short styled flowers which do not set any fruit. Fruit set varies from 70 – 80% in varieties with long styled flowers.
Fruit set can be improved either by seed treatment or whole plant sprays with plant regulators like para – chlorophenoxy acetic acid, 2,4 dichlorophenoxy acetic acid and naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), 2,4-D is the cheapest chemical, seed treatment with 4 to 5 ppm of 2,4-D for 24 hours or spraying the whole plant with 2,4-D at 2 ppm give about 50% more fruit set.
Harvesting:
The fruits should be harvested when they are still tender but after they have attained a good size and when the surface is bright and glossy. At harvesting the calyx and the stem end are kept attached to the fruit.
The average yield varies from 200 to 250 q / ha.
Grading :
The Indian standards institution has recommended three grades viz. super, fancy & commercial.
Storage:
Brinjals can be stored for three days during winter and two days during summer at ordinary temperatures while in cold storage at 7.2 0°C to 10°C and 85 to 90 % R.H. they can be kept for about a week in a fairly good condition


Seed production:
Since cross pollination has been reported to the extent of 20% an isolation distance of 100 t0 200 mts is to be maintained between any to varieties grown for seed production in brinjal. Cultural practices are same as that of commercial fruit production.
The ripe fruit when turned yellow are harvested, crushed and stored over night by soaking in water for softening the pulp and subsequent separation of seeds. They are washed with water and sieved. After separation, seeds floating in water should be rejected and the sound seeds are dried in partial shade before storing.
yield of seed varies from 100 to 120 Kg / ha. The ratio of seed to fruit weight varies 1 – 2 % depending up on the variety.