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Eggplant
Frank J. Dainello,
Extension Horticulturist
Department of Horticultural Sciences, Texas A&M University |
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VARIETIES
| Florida Market, Florida High Bush, Black Bell, Black
Magic, Classic, Epic, Wight Shadow |
| Oriental type= |
Tycoon, Ichibon |
| White types= |
Easter Egg, Ghost Buster |
| Light purple with white stripes= |
Minden Early |
| Purple with green and white stripes= |
Farmers Long |
|
SOIL PREFERENCE
Well drained, fertile, sandy loam soil with pH 5.5 - 7.2. The higher the
organic matter content the better. |
OPTIMUM GROWING CONDITIONS
Warm season, continuous long warm days, 72 - 86oF with warm
nights, 70 - 75oF. Growth stops below 63oF. Will
tolerate high temperatures. |
ESTABLISHMENT METHODS
Transplanted, can be direct seeded.
| Optimum time |
| Transplanted- |
| Spring- |
day temperature > 65oF; |
| Fall- |
80 - 90 days prior to anticipated harvest. |
| Direct seed- |
| Spring- |
soil seed zones temperature > 65oF |
| Fall- |
soil seed zone temperature > 95oF. |
| Seeding rate lbs/A= |
1.5 - 2. |
| Approx seed/oz= |
6,500 |
| Seeding depth= |
1/8 - 1/4". |
| Seedling spacing= |
24 - 36" on 38 - 40" wide raised beds. |
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FERTILITY/FERTILIZATION
Rates presented as actual lbs/Acre N2, P2O5 and K2O (base actual rates
on soil test results).
| Generalized rate lbs/A |
120 - 90 - 110. |
| N- |
70 - 135 |
| P- |
70 - 150 |
| K- |
100 - 120 normally only required in East Texas. |
|
| *NOTE = Use a starter
solution on transplants at field setting. Example- 2 pts liquid 10-34-0/
to gallons water (8 oz applied/plt). |
WATER/IRRIGATION
20 - 35" applied uniformly throughout growing season. Critical time during
bloom through fruit set. |
PEST MANAGEMENT
| Major Diseases |
Control |
| Phomopis fruit rot |
Cabrio, Endura, Flint, maneb, Quadris |
| Anthracnose |
Cabrio, Endura, Flint, maneb, Quadris |
| Damping off (Pythium) |
Ridomil Gold |
| Phytophthora crown rot |
Ridomil Gold, fixed copper (fruit rot phase) |
| Nematode |
K-Pam, Nemacur, Telone II, Telone C-17, Vydate |
|
| Major Insects |
Control |
| Whitefly |
Actara/Platinum, Admire, Assail, endosulfan, Knack, Provado, Vydate |
| Aphid |
Actara/Platinum, Admire, Assail, endosulfan, Fulfill, Metasystox-R,
Provado, Vydate |
| Colorado potato beetle |
Actara/Platinum, Admire, Assail, cryolite, Novodor, Provado, Spintor |
| Flea beetle |
Asana, Fury/Mustang, endosulfan, Guthion (prior to fruit set),
Lannate, Vydate |
| Leafminer and lacebug |
Asana, Guthion (prior to fruit set), Lannate, malathion, Spintor,
Vydate |
| Armyworms |
Avaunt, Lannate, Spintor |
| Mite |
Capture, MetaSystox-R, Vendex |
|
| Weeds |
Control |
| Preplant incorporated |
Devrinol, Prefar |
| Preemergence |
Dacthal (after plants well established), Prefar |
| Postemergence |
Poast, Sandea (shielded layby application), Select |
|
| * NOTE--The above is
a partial listing of controls intended as examples. Some labels may have
been revoked since the publication of this guide. Refer to product labels
for specifics and use accordingly. Failure to do so may result in crop
injury, death and/or citation for law violation. Humans, animals and the
environment may also be adversely affected by misuse. |
HARVEST
Hand- easily bruised, care should be exercised to prevent bruising.
| Days after planting= |
Transplants= 70 - 90 |
| Direct seeded= |
112 - 146 |
| Containers= |
Bushel baskets. |
| Grades= |
Fancy, #1, #2, depending upon size, uniformity and presence of
defects. |
| Packaging/handling= |
Bu, ctns, 33 lbs, and wire bd color crates/ctns packed 18 - 24
counts (20 - 23 lbs). |
| Anticipated yield/A= |
13,000 - 15,000 lbs. |
|
TRANSIT CONDITIONS
50 - 59oF at 85 - 90% RH for 1 week.Experience chilling injury
at or below 45oF. |
COMMENTS/PRODUCTION KEYS
- As fruit matures flesh softens; harvest when a slight indentation
remains when fruits are pressed slightly with finger or thumb. Reaches
peak harvest maturity when 5 - 8" long (1/3 - 2/3 mature size), true
to color for variety type and prior to seed color change.
- Calyx or cap should be allowed to remain attached to fruit when harvested.
- Responds well to plastic mulch drip irrigation and row covers due
to long growing season requirements and sensitivity to cold conditions.
- Good drainage a must, very sensitive to root rots.
- Cultivars with very long type fruits are more resistant to extremely
high temperatures; small egg-shaped and oval types are not.
- Flowering begins after the sixth leaf has opened in early cultivars;
late varieties require 14 leaves prior to flowering.
- Not sensitive to day length as far as flowering is concerned.
- Oriental cultivars bear long slender fruits and are more prolific
than the standard types.
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Texas Cooperative
Extension, Horticulture Crop Guides Series
Revised November, 2003
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/vegetable/cropguides/eggplant.html
Prepared for Web delivery by Brooke Bludau, Amanda Zan, and Dan Lineberger |