FRUITING OF EGGPLANT IN A MILD-WINTER CLIMATE

Eggplant is a thermophilous crop, but it can be grown all the year round in a mild-winter Mediterranean climate.
Cultural practices must be suited to the conditions of the specific climatic areas.
Semi-arid to arid conditions in the hotter inland valleys of Israel enable unprotected eggplant fruit cultivation during winter and spring, if the crop is sown or planted early enough to enable adequate vegetative development before temperatures drop in late autumn.

In the coastal area, with its mild-winter temperatures, heavy rain, storm and hail are frequent and eggplants must be protected, but no artificial heating is needed.
The protection shields the crop against adverse weather conditions and markedly elevates day temperatures, but has very little influence on night temperatures.

Winter conditions affect the entire generative process, from flower development to fruit growth and quality.

Regular applications of growth regulators are needed to secure fair fruit growth during the cool season.

Symposium on Protected Cultivation of Solanacea in Mild Winter Climates

J. Nothmann

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1986.191.25