Saturday, July 2, 2016

Eggplant Farming Is Profitable

Posted by Lenith on Saturday, July 02, 2016 in , , | No comments
Eggplant Farming

Variety: CASINO F1, Morina F1 or Banate King

  • A popular high-yielding hybrid variety with excellent shelf life, suitable for all seasons.
  • The fruits are firm and have a very good shipping quality, with a shelf life of more than 5 days.
  • The shape is straight and cylindrical, dark glossy purple in color with a purplish green calyx.
  • The first harvest starts 58 DAT.
  • The best variety for the Philippine farmer.

Eggplant

Land Preparation

Prepare the land by plowing and harrowing twice. Mix decomposed animal manure or compost at 1.0 kg/linear meter to improve soil structure and condition. Incorporate 300-400 kg complete fertilizer as basal. Make furrows 1.5 meters apart. Application of lime one month before transplanting is recommended at a rate of 3-5 tons/ha if soil pH is below 5.6..
Another option to furrow planting is planting eggplant in beds. It is usually 0.7 m wide and 20.0 cm high above the ground. Holes are made 0.75 m apart. Beds are covered with plastic mulch to minimize erosion especially during the rainy season and to control the growth of weeds.

Seedling Production

It is recommended to use seedling trays in growing of seedlings. This facilitates easy maintenance of the seedlings and efficient transplanting without disturbing the root system. Seedling trays should be filled with a good sowing medium such as peat moss, commercial potting soil or a mixture of sand, garden soil and coir dust (1:1:2).

Sowing

  1. One hectare requires 150 to 200 grams of seeds.
  2. Sow the seeds directly into the tray and cover lightly with soil. The seeds germinate 7-10 days after sowing.

Seedling Fertilization

The following is the recommended fertilization schedule for seedling growing.
DAS
Application
Fertilizer and Fungicide
0, 7, 14, 21, 28
Drenching
CaNO3 or Crop Giant (19-19-19) or Peters (30-10-10) at 40g/16 L Fungicide (a.i. propamocarb hydrochloride at 40ml/ 16 L
  1. It is recommended to alternately use CaNO3 (calcium nitrate), Crop Giant and Peters because the last two fertilizers also contains micronutrients to support seedling growth.
  2. Seedlings should be hardened 5-7 days before transplanting by decreasing the amount of water and exposing them to direct sunlight. This acclimatizes and prepares the plant to withstand harsh condition in the field.
  3. Seedlings will be ready for transplanting four to five weeks after sowing.

Transplanting

  1. Irrigate the field before transplanting. Transplant the seedlings at 0.75 m between hills by 1.5 meter between furrows. From the seedling tray, carefully remove the seedlings with the soil and the roots intact to facilitate crop recovery and minimize transplanting shock. It is recommended to do the transplanting in the afternoon.
  2. When transplanting in beds, distribute each seedling into the prepared hills and cover with soil.

Irrigation and Drainage

If rainfall is insufficient, irrigation starts immediately after transplanting and is repeated as often as needed, usually with an interval of 5-7 days during the dry months. The soil must be moist at all times but water lagging must be avoided. Allow excess water to drain from the field immediately.

Fertilization

The following is the recommended fertilization schedule.
Days after Transplanting
Method of Application
Fertilizer Material
Amount
0, 3, 5
Drench
Dissolved CaNO3 or 18-46-0
7.5 g/ 1 L water
7
Side-dress
Complete
15.0g/ hill
21
Side-dress
Urea
15.0 g/ hill
35 days and succeeding appl'n at 2-3 weeks interval
Side-dress
Equal ratio of Urea and 0-0-60 or Complete
20.0 g/ hill
Note: 1 tbsp is approximately 10.0 grams
Reduce fertilizer application when plants are soon to be terminated.

Harvesting and Post-Harvest Handling

Harvest the fruits once they have reached sufficient size for marketing (usually 2-3 weeks after flowering). Harvesting is done carefully by hand or using a sharp knife, with the calyx attached to the fruit. This could be done once or twice a week, preferably early in the morning.

Sort the fruits according to market standards. Pack the fruits neatly in a polyethylene bag before transporting to the market.

Insects & Pest Control


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