Folia
Folia Hort. 28/1(2016): 19-24
Horticulturae
Published by the Polish Society
DOI: 10.1515/fhort-2016-0003
for Horticultural Science since 1989
ORIGINAL ARTICLE Open access http://www.foliahort.ogr.ur.krakow.pl
The yield of eggplant depending on climate conditions
and mulching
Katarzyna Adamczewska-Sowińska*, Magdalena Krygier, Joanna Turczuk
Department of Horticulture
Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences
Pl. Grunwaldzki 24a, 50-363 Wroclaw, Poland
ABSTRACT
The field production of eggplant in moderate climates is difficult as it depends heavily on thermal conditions.
Eggplant is a species that is sensitive to low temperatures, and temperatures below 16ºC constrain the growth
of young plants. Other disadvantageous factors include: temperatures that are too high, water shortage and
excessive soil humidity. The growth conditions for eggplant can be improved by using mulches. The purpose
of the experiment was the assessment of eggplant cropping while using synthetic mulches of polyethylene foil
and polypropylene textile. The research took five years (2008-2012) and on the basis of the obtained results
it was possible to determine the influence of weather conditions on the yielding of this species. It was proven
that eggplant cropping significantly depended on the air temperature and the amount of rainfall during the
vegetation period. The highest yield was observed when the average air temperature was high and at the same
time rainfall was evenly distributed throughout the vegetation season. It also turned out that the agro-technical
procedure which significantly increased eggplant fruit cropping was mulching the soil with polyethylene black
foil, or transparent foil, previously having applied a herbicide.
Ke y wor d s: air temperature, polyethylene foil, polypropylene textile, rainfall, Solanum melongena L.
INTRODUCTION one plant. The field production of this species is
also possible in moderate climates. However, it
Eggplant is a vegetable of great economic
importance in countries with tropical and depends heavily on weather conditions. Eggplant is
subtropical climates. It is also grown in the south sensitive to frost and the growth of young plants
of Europe. Its characteristic feature is a root system is constrained by temperatures below 16ºC. What
of a medium range; its demand for water is greatest also affects the profitability of plant production is
during the blooming and fruit-forming periods the length of the vegetation period, which should
(Ertek et al. 2006). In dry, warm climates, high come to 120 days (Chen and Li 1997). The growth
yields can be obtained during cultivation with the of eggplant may slow down when the temperature
use of irrigation. The maximum yield achieved by is too high (> 30ºC), there is not enough water, or
Aminifard et al. (2010) in a region where annual in the case of excessive humidity combined with
rainfall amounts to 91-120 mm, with air humidity a high temperature. According to Chen and Li
of 37%, at an altitude of 1470 m, using irrigation (1997), in such conditions the vegetative growth of
until soil humidity reached 65%, was 3713 g from plants is enhanced.
*Corresponding author.
Tel.: +48 71 320 17 32; fax: +48 71 320 17 32
e-mail: [email protected] (K. Adamczewska-Sowińska).
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20 The yield of eggplant depending on climate conditions and mulching
Growth conditions can be improved by using mulches may contribute to the decrease of the
synthetic mulches. Their beneficial influence amount of pathogens on vegetables (Toscano et al.
on soil humidity and temperature as well as on 1979, Diaz Perez et al. 2007).
microbiological life in the soil was observed by
Diaz Perez et al. (2007), Siwek et al. (2007) and MATERIAL AND METHODS
Moreno and Moreno (2008). Wien and Minotti
The research was conducted in the years 2008-
(1987) noticed the positive reaction of vegetables
to an increase of temperature in the root sphere. 2012 in the Research Station belonging to the
Brown and Channell-Butcher (2001) stress that Department of Horticulture at Wroclaw University
this especially refers to species that are very of Environmental and Life Sciences (51º19’N,
demanding as to the temperature. Mulches protect 17º03’E). The one-factor experiment was established
the plantation against weed infestation, prevent in a randomised block design, in three replications,
water and wind erosion of soil, as well as leaching on black degraded soil of pH 7.25 and a nutrient
nutrients out of the reach of plant roots (Kołota content of 130 mg K dm-3 and 200 mg P dm-3.
and Słociak 2003, Romić et al. 2003, Moreno Air temperature and the amount of rainfall were
and Moreno 2008). Thanks to the modification of recorded on the Research Station of the experiment
conditions around the plants, e.g. light conditions, site. The temperature was registered electronically
Table 1. Mean air temperature and sum of rainfall during the eggplant growing period in 2008-2012
Temperature (°C) Rainfall (mm)
10-day period deviation 10-day period
deviation from
from mean
mean monthly sums
Year
Months monthly sums of
monthly of rainfall
1st 2nd 3rd temperature 1st 2nd 3rd rainfall
temperature for the years
for the years
1971-2000
1971-2000
May 14.9 16.3 16.9 16.0 +2.5 1.4 - - 1.4 -55.6
June 22.3 17.8 22.2 20.7 +4.4 - 2.9 20.6 23.5 -55.5
2008
July 21.0 20.7 23.3 21.7 +3.6 52.2 27.7 5.8 85.7 -5.3
August 22.3 20.9 18.1 20.3 +2.5 16.6 61 19 96.6 +32.6
September 20.6 11.6 11.5 14.6 +1.0 9.5 0.7 17.6 27.8 -23.2
May 15.3 15.7 16.5 15.8 +2.3 1.6 15.6 37.0 54.2 -2.8
June 15.2 17.2 18.6 17.0 +0.7 5.4 21.0 52.9 79.4 +0.4
2009
July 21.2 21.1 20.6 21.0 +2.9 32.1 69.8 14.0 115.9 +24.9
August 21.9 21.4 20.7 21.3 +3.5 79.3 12.7 2.0 94.0 +30.0
September 18.2 16.8 15.6 16.9 +3.3 3.1 - 3.9 7.0 -44.0
May 13.2 11.6 14.8 13.3 -0.2 29.8 77.2 27.5 134.5 +77.5
June 18.6 16.0 17.9 17.5 +1.2 13.4 11.4 - 24.8 -54.2
2010
July 20.4 23.3 19.3 21.0 +2.9 7.0 34.6 37.5 79.1 -11.9
August 19.8 19.3 17.5 18.8 +1.0 16.2 14.0 43.8 74.0 +10.0
September 12.6 12.5 12.2 12.5 -1.1 26.0 11.8 51.0 88.8 +37.8
May 10.5 16.0 17.9 14.9 +1.4 6.7 13.9 20.8 41.4 -15.6
June 20.4 18.7 18.3 19.1 +2.8 3.9 4.5 13.5 21.9 -57.1
2011
July 18.2 20.5 16.3 18.2 +0.1 65.5 40.0 47.7 153.2 +62.2
August 19.3 19.4 19.5 19.4 +1.6 1.6 11.6 9.5 22.7 -41.3
September 17.3 16.1 14.5 15.9 +2.3 20.9 0.9 - 21.8 -29.2
May 16.4 13.3 17.8 15.9 +2.4 10.5 2.5 7.5 20.5 -36.5
June 14.1 18.6 18.8 17.2 +0.9 26.9 40.5 9.7 77.1 -1.9
2012
July 22.4 17.3 20.6 20.1 +2.0 31.8 19 20 70.8 -20.2
August 20.7 18.9 19.6 19.7 +1.9 13 21.5 13.9 48.4 -15.6
September 16.8 14.3 13.5 14.8 +1.2 13.2 31.8 - 45 -6.0
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Katarzyna Adamczewska-Sowińska, Magdalena Krygier, Joanna Turczuk 21
in a continuous way, while the rainfall was measured RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
using Hellmann’s rain meter. The obtained data
It was proven on the basis of the obtained research
were compared with those from the Institute of
results that there are significant differences in
Meteorology and Water Management for the long-
eggplant yielding depending on the actual weather
term period of 1971-2000 (Tab. 1). The following
conditions (Tab. 3). This confirms the opinion
mulches were used in the cultivation of eggplant: of Kashyap et al. (2003), who said that eggplant
black and transparent polyethylene foil, 0.05 mm yielding is determined to a large extent by the
thick, and black polypropylene textile with a weight environment, especially by the temperature. The
of 60 g m-2. Before covering the soil with transparent year 2012 was the most favourable for eggplant
foil, the soil surface was sprayed with napropamide yielding. From the moment of planting the seedlings
+ metribuzin (900 + 350 g ha-1) mixtures. Herbicide until the final crops, the average air temperature
was incorporated, using harrow on the soil at remained at a level of 17.6ºC, the rainfall was
a 3 cm depth. The control objects were plots with rather evenly distributed and its total amount was
no mulching applied. The seedlings of eggplant 241.3 mm. High temperatures in the 2nd and 3rd
cultivar Epic F1 were produced in a greenhouse. 10-day periods of June and in the 1st 10 days of July
The seeds were sown on 28-30 March into seed (18.6ºC-22.4ºC) resulted in abundant blooming and
boxes, and seedlings at the stage of having fruit formation (Tab. 1). According to Chen and Li
completely unfolded cotyledons were transplanted (1997), the optimal temperature for eggplant growth
to pots with a diameter of 10 cm. The growing is between 21-29ºC, whereas for Lawande and
medium for the seedlings was peat substrate. Chavan (1998) it is 22-30ºC and at night it should be
The vegetables were planted in the field in strips, 18-24°C. Moderate rainfall that occurred in the 1st
in a spacing of 140 × (60 × 50) cm (planting dates and 2nd 10-day periods of June 2012 accelerated the
in Tab. 2). The size of one plot was 4 m2 (2 × 2 m). process of root taking by plants and contributed to
Immediately before planting the seedlings, the their intensive growth. The temperature recorded
field was fertilised with nitrogen in the form of in the 1st and 2nd 10 days of September was 2ºC
ammonium nitrate in the amount of 150 kg N ha-1. higher on average than the long-term mean. Thanks
The eggplant fruit were picked every 5-7 days to such weather conditions, fruit yields started
(Tab. 2). Each year and each time the fruits were earlier than in the previous years and they could be
picked, the marketable yield was assessed and continued regularly until mid-September (Tab. 2).
on this basis it was possible to calculate the total It should be emphasised that the amount of eggplant
marketable yield, as well as the early yield. It was fruit yielded at the end of August and in September
assumed that the early yield was the fruit yield was much larger than in other years (Fig. 1). In
from the first three crops. 2012, the total yield of eggplant, independently of
The aim of the conducted research was to assess the type of the mulch used, amounted to 43.73 t ha-1,
the influence of mulching on eggplant yielding, as with the early yield constituting 8.2%. This could
well as to determine the most advantageous weather be compared to the yield of eggplant cultivated in
conditions for the yielding of this species, on the Iran with the use of irrigation but without fertilising
basis of the relationships observed throughout the with N (Aminifard et al. 2010).
years. The results of the experiment were subjected The total yield obtained in 2011 was 10%
to statistical analysis, using the Tukey test for smaller than in 2012. The percentage of the early
a significance level of p = 0.05. yield was 25.9%. As is shown in Fig. 1, the amount
Table 2. Characteristics of the eggplant growing season in 2008-2012
Year 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Planting date 02.06. 25.05. 28.05. 30.05. 02.06.
Harvest period 11.07.-23.09. 22.07.-30.09. 14.07.-14.09. 06.07.-13.09. 29.06.-14.09.
(from first to last harvest)
Harvest number 9 4 10 9 12
Days
–– from transplanting to
first harvest 39 58 47 37 27
–– the period of fruit
harvesting 75 71 63 70 78
–– the vegetation period 114 129 110 107 105
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22 The yield of eggplant depending on climate conditions and mulching
Table 3. The yield of eggplant in subsequent years, dependent on the type of mulch, in 2008-2012, (t ha-1)
Yield Type of mulch 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Mean
Early black PE foil 3.70 0.10 2.58 10.33 3.21 3.99
transparent PE foil 5.03 0.30 2.96 13.71 3.38 5.08
black PP agrotextile 5.27 0.20 3.50 9.71 3.42 4.42
control, without mulches 5.10 0.30 3.05 7.00 4.33 3.96
mean 4.78 0.23 3.02 10.19 3.58 4.36
LSDα=0.05 for:
years (I) 1.28
type of mulch (II) n.s.
n.s. n.s. n.s. n.s. n.s.
interaction I×II n.s.
Total black PE foil 8.40 11.02 13.63 43.50 46.63 24.63
transparent PE foil 13.85 8.50 16.00 42.81 42.33 24.70
black PP agrotextile 14.50 9.63 11.92 38.75 38.71 22.70
control, without mulches 12.97 1.37 12.53 32.29 47.25 21.28
mean 12.43 7.63 13.52 39.34 43.73 23.33
LSDα=0.05 for:
years (I) 2.40
type of mulch (II) 2.29
n.s. 5.44 1.87 6.15 n.s.
interaction I×II 5.03
of eggplant fruit picked was bigger each time than appeared to favour eggplant yielding. In cultivation
in the year 2012 until the 1st 10 days of August 2011. using the PE foil and PP textile mulches the yield
However, later one could observe a falloff. In 2011, was greater when compared to that obtained from
the average air temperature and total rainfall were the control plots, on average by 33.6% and 20%,
similar to those from 2012. Rainfall was unevenly respectively.
distributed. In June, after planting the seedlings, the The eggplant yield was comparable in the years
temperature held more or less on the level of 19.1ºC, 2008 and 2010 (Tab. 3). However, it was 3.4 times
but the rainfall was 3.6 times lower than usual in smaller on average compared to the greatest yield
this month. Such conditions extended the period obtained in 2012. This might be caused by less
between planting the seedlings and the first fruit favourable weather conditions. In 2008, the period
yield by 10 days. Very high rainfall was recorded of fruit picking was relatively long, but at the same
in July; it exceeded the average long-term total by time the period between seedling planting and the
62.2 mm, while in August there was an shortage of first fruit yield was extended (compared to 2012). In
41.3 mm. In such weather conditions, using mulches that year, the thermal conditions were optimal for
-1
t ha
25
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
20
15
10
0
21-30.06 01-10.07 11-20.07 21-31.07 01-10.08 11-20.08 21-31.08 01-10.09 11-20.09 21-30.09
Figure 1. The yield of eggplant in terms of successive harvests in 2008-2012, t ha-1
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Katarzyna Adamczewska-Sowińska, Magdalena Krygier, Joanna Turczuk 23
eggplant growth throughout the vegetation period fruit yield was on average 12.8% bigger than in
(Tab. 1). The average temperature in June, July the control. A statistically significant increase
and August was by 4.4ºC, 3.6ºC and 2.5ºC higher in the total yield was observed in cultivation on
than the long-term means. On the other hand, there polyethylene, black and transparent foil, by 15.9%
were long periods with very low rainfall or no on average. The influence of mulches on the early
rainfall at all. In that year, no significant influence yield of eggplant was not statistically proven, but
of mulching on eggplant yielding was confirmed. we noticed that in the cultivation on transparent
Disadvantageous weather conditions in 2010 foil and on black polypropylene textile, this yield
were as follows: lower than average temperatures was on average 28.3% and 11.6% bigger than in
in the 2nd 10-day period of June and from the 3rd traditional cultivation, respectively. An increase in
10 days of August until mid-September, as well the yield of tomato and pumpkin cultivated on black
as low rainfall in June and in the 1st 10 days of polyethylene foil mulch was observed by Brown
July. As a result, the period of fruit picking was and Channell-Butcher (2001) and by Gordon et al.
15 days shorter compared with the year 2012 and (2008), and of lettuce cultivated on transparent and
the period between planting the seedlings and black foil by Siwek et al. (2007).
the first fruit yield was 20 days longer. In As a result of the presented long-term research,
those weather conditions, the plants cultivated taking into consideration the climate conditions, the
on transparent foil produced yields that were field production of eggplant in Poland may fail. For
significantly bigger (by 26.1%) as compared to other that reason, it is mainly introduced is cultivation
objects. in greenhouses and foil tunnels (Ambroszczyk
Retarded plant growth and delayed intensive et al. 2008, Markiewicz et al. 2008, Michałojć
yielding in 2009 resulted from relatively low and Buczkowska 2008, Buczkowska 2010). In
temperatures after planting the eggplant, at the turn the field production of eggplant, any procedures
of May and June. Still, the crucial disadvantageous that diminish the influence of stress conditions
factor was the high rainfall that occurred in the might improve the species’ growth and yielding.
3rd 10-day period of June, in the 1st and 2nd 10-day As Kashyap et al. (2003) reported, breeding new
periods of July and in the 1st 10 days of August. transgenic cultivars may also reduce the influence
It constrained the pollination of flowers and of abiotic factors such as weather conditions on
made the flowers and fruit buds fall. A temporary eggplant growth and yielding. Cultivars that are
excess of water within the reach of the root system tolerant of stress conditions, such as drought or
inhibited plant growth. Those unfavourable chill, were obtained, for example, through the
weather conditions extended the period between introduction of the bacterium gene responsible for
planting the seedlings and the first yield more the synthesis of the compound mannitol-1-phospho
than twice, and caused the marketable yield of dehydrogenase (Prabhavati et al. 2002).
eggplant fruit to decrease 5.7 times when compared
to the best year, 2012. Eggplant cultivation with CONCLUSIONS
mulches counteracted the negative effect of
1. The fruit yielding of eggplant cultivated in the
weather conditions (mostly thermal), especially in
field in a moderate climate depends significantly
2009 (Tab. 3). Soil temperature increases under
on weather conditions. High temperature
mulches were confirmed by Diaz Perez et al.
and evenly distributed rainfall throughout
(2007) and Moreno and Moreno (2008). The yield
the vegetation period in 2011 and 2012 were
of eggplants in that treatment was seven times
favourable conditions for eggplant yielding.
higher than in the control. The negative influence
of chilly periods or large day and night temperature 2. The highest yield of fruit, an average of
fluctuations, especially when combined with worse 43.73 t ha-1, was collected in 2012. This year
light conditions, on the vitality of pollen and fruit had the longest harvest period (78 days) and the
formation was confirmed by Chen and Li (1997), shortest period from transplanting to the first
Uzun (2006) and Kowalska (2008). harvest of eggplant fruit (27 days).
The conditions for vegetable growth can 3. Mulching the soil with polyethylene black foil or
be improved by using various agro-technical transparent foil after previously having applied
solutions, e.g. soil mulching. On the basis of the a herbicide was a beneficial agro-technical
conducted research we found that independent treatment that significantly increased the fruit
of the type of mulch used, the total eggplant yielding of eggplant.
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24 The yield of eggplant depending on climate conditions and mulching
FUNDING Kowalska G., 2008. Flowering biology of eggplant and
procedures intensifying fruit set – review. Acta Sci.
This study was supported by the Faculty of Life Pol., Hortorum Cultus 7(4): 63-76.
Sciences and Technology of the Wroclaw University Lawande K.E., Chavan J.K., 1998. Eggplant. In:
of Environmental and Life Sciences. Handbook of Vegetable Science and Technology:
Production, Composition, Storage, and Processing.
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