Growing Aubergine, Brinjal or Eggplant (From seeds to fruits)

Aubergine or Eggplant can be propagated from seeds, stem cuttings or graftings. However the cutting does not root readily unless applied suitable rooting hormone such as Indole Acetic Acid at the appropriate concentration. The success rate is not promising under commercial scale. Therefore the most preferable method to propagate brinjals is by germinating the seeds under protection and transplant the young plants in large pots or open field to fruit. This process takes a minimum of 2 to 3 months depending on the cultivars and the environmental condition. The following pictures show my Eggplant growing from seeds to fruits.



The seeds are planted 5mm deep using compost. It must be kept moist all the time and germination occurs as early as Day 5 post planting. I am germinating it in the tropical climate. Temperature ranges 28 to 32 degree Celcius. In temperate climate, a heating mat may be beneficial in speedig up germination and improving rate of germination.



Day 7: More seeds germinated.

Day 10: Seedlings sprouting its very first true leaf.

Day 15: The true leaves gradually expanding.



Day 20: The true leaves expand further to receive more sunlight.





Day 25: Transplanted individual pots.





Day 35: Transplanted into polystyrene pots.







Day 45: Transplanted into teracotta pot. One of the shoot has been removed from the plant for grafting onto appropriate rootstock.

 

Day 60: Post grafting, the shoot has developed into a vigorous eggplant tree.



Day 55: Flowering.



Day 60: Fruit bud formation.

Day 65: Fruit bud grows bigger.

Day 75 > Fruit maturity.

Day 80: More fruit growing bigger.

Day 90: Multiple fruits.

Grafting Eggplants

Many plants species can be grafted onto one another if they belonged to the same Family within the Taxonomical Classification. Interspecific grafting carries higher survival rate than the Intergeneric grafting due to higher phyto-immuno compatibility at graft union. This biological miracle allows human to utilise grafting as a mean to improve their crops performance.

The art of grafting plants was known to the Chinese since many centuries ago. But grafting in the Far East was done mostly on woody parennials. Not until the early 20th century that the Japanese attempted to extend this ancient botanical art to include the herbaceous plants. It was proven very successful for the past few decades. Japanese has been cultivating high quality crops under intensive cultivation without much hassle from the soil borne pathogens such as fungus, bacteria and nematodes. This art allows multiple successive croppings and extends the lifespan of many fruiting herbaceous vegetables. Gardeners and agriculturists can plant the crops once a year and be able to harvest continuously through the extended cropping season until the arrival of the first frost. Modern research shows that Grafted Fruiting Vegetables produced significantly much higher yields than ungrafted plants. It also reduces the use of pesticides and thus minimising its adverse effect on the environment and ecosystem. Organic gardening at home becomes more promising with the introduction of this more resistant plants that thrives on a naturally more robust root systems of their cousin within the same Taxonomic Family.

There are many methods employed in grafting plants. The method that carries the highest success rate is probably "Approach Grafting" where the root systems of both plants remain intact during the healing period. This has been observed in nature where tree branches of the same species growing in close proximity, when rubbed agaist each others woody bark until the underlying living tissues come into contact, the two branches may fused and grow together. Examples of approach grafting are inarch grafting and tongue grafting. "Detached Scion Grafting" has a lower success rate mainly due to dehydration during the early healing period. It was practiced by ancient Romans where a piece of the desired plant tissue is removed and inserted into a cut in the rootstock to join and match precisely. Examples of detached scion grafting are wedge grafting, tube grafting, pin grafting, veneer grafting and bud grafting.

Eggplants can be grafted readily on the Nightshade rootstocks. This allows the eggplant to thrive on a more robust root system and prevent it from the soil borne diseases. In cold temperate climate, Hybrid Tomato produced by crossing domestic tomato with wild tomato is used as a rootstock. However this Hybrid Tomato rootstock is not suitable in tropical climate because this rootstock loss its resistant to soilborne diseases when the temperature is high. In the tropical climate, the more heat tolerant rootstock is selected, namely the wild guinea squash. Grafted plant grows far much taller and produces more fruits than ungrafted plant. The folowing picture shows my grafted eggplants growing in warm tropical climate. It is 8 feet tall in a 2 gallons terracotta pot.




My 8 feet GRAFTED brinjal tree in a 2 gallons terracotta pot. It grows vigourously and continues to grow taller. The fruits are formed abundantly as it grows. Many has been harvested and eaten. Taste deicious.

 

Solanum melongena (Aubergine, Brinjal, Eggplant)

Solanum melongena is the scientific taxonomic name for Aubergine, Brinjal and Eggplant. It is known as Aubergine in the United Kingdom, Brinjal in Malaysia and Singapore, and Eggplants in the USA. This plant is widely cultivated throughout the world particularly in the tropical and subtropical climates. Its optimum growth temperature is 25 to 32 degree Celcius. It is a woody parennial shrubs that originated from the New World, the land of origin of all the "Night Shade" family, taxonomically known as Solanaceae Family. Other commonly known members of this family includes Potato (Solanum tuberosum), Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), Sweet Pepper (Capsicum annum), Bird Eyes Chili (Capsicum frutescen) Chili Pepper (Capsicum chinensis), Goji Berry (Lycium barbarum), Cape Gooseberry (Physallis peruviana), Pepino (Solanum muricatum), Petunia (Petunia multiflora), Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), Moonflowers (Datura) and Angel's trumpet (Brugmansia) and many other species. All the members of the "Night Shade" family are susceptible to the same pathogens and soil borne diseases. But some cultivars are more resistant and tolerant than others. The wild species are generally more virgorous compared to the domesticated species.

Solanum melongena has many varieties, botanically known as cultivars. Some cultivars bear white, purple, yellow or dark coloured fruits. In the Far East and South East Asia, the most popular cultivar is the variety bearing cylindrical fruits measuring approximately 30cm or more and the flesh is soft whitish creamy colour with intense sweet taste when cooked or baked. The rounded fruit cultivar is more popular in India and Western Countries. Some cultivars of Solanum melongena plants develop purple coloured stems and branches when exposed to direct sunlight.




This grafted brinjal plant has purple stem when exposed to strong direct tropical sunlight


Aubergines or eggplants behave as an annual in temperate climates unless cultivated in the green house and protected from snow and frost. In the tropical climates it behaves as a parennial and grows into a shrubs or small tree. It can live for many years unless affected by diseases or intentionally removed from cultivation.

When Solanum melongena is grown on it's own root system, it is susceptible to soil salinity and soil borne diseases. This is the most common reason for its cultivation as an annual in the tropical climates. The following photos show the eggplants culivated on land. It gradually deteriorated after several months of transplanting and had completed its life cycle within a year and only produced a few fruits. Its height was never more than two feet. Most of the plants succumbed to vascular wilt disease either caused by Fusarium fungus, Verticillium fungus or Ralstonia bacteria. There is no effective treatment for vascular wilt disease. Prevention is difficult because the pathogens are very persistent in the soil. Crops rotation may be beneficial. But GRAFTING can solve this problem once and for all.



These brinjal plants are (NOT GRAFTED). They are planted on the land with their own root systems. They grow slower and more susceptible to soil borne diseases.



These brinjal plants are (NOT GRAFTED). They are planted on the land with their own root systems. They grow slower and more susceptible to soil borne diseases.



It bloomed after 3 months

Fruits formed 2 weeks after pollination

Mature fruits 1 month after pollination.