Performance of grafted brinjal (Solanum melongena L) under different spacing and fertigation levels

Abstract

The brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) variety COBH 2 was grafted on Solanum torvum and the grafts were planted in the field to standardize spacing and fertigation levels. A strip plot design was adopted with four levels of spacing (1 m x 1 m, 2 m x 1 m, 1.5 m x 1.5 m and 0.6 m x 0.6 m) and three levels of fertigation (75, 100 and 125 % RDF) replicated four times. After six months the plants were pruned to obtain ratoon crop which was maintained for four 4 months. The days taken for 50 per cent flowering and first harvest were nutrition and neither spacing nor interaction. The 75 and 100 per cent RDF were on par for early flowering (32.00 and 32.38 days in main crop; 16.88 and 17.00 days in ratoon crop); and early harvest (44.38 and 45.44 days in main crop; 34.38 and 35.56 days in ratoon crop) (Figure 1). The widest spacing (1.5 m x 1.5 m) recorded the highest fruit weight (67.44 and 63.71 g) and number of 269.44 and 136.71 fruits plant-1 in main and ratoon crops respectively. However, the closest spacing (1 m x 1 m) recorded the highest marketable yield of 98.47 and 57.91 t ha-1 in main and ratoon crop respectively. The highest fruit weight (69.79 and 65.96 g) was recorded under highest nutrition level (125 % RDF) in both main and ratoon crops. However, the maximum number of marketable fruits plant-1 (191.43 and 98.79 fruits plant-1) and marketable yield ha-1 (87.24 and 44.79 t ha-1) were observed under 100 per cent RDF. The treatment combination 1 m x 1 m + 100 per cent RDF recorded the highest marketable yield of 110.25 and 59.42 t ha-1 in main and ratoon crops respectively.