CULTIVATION OF DIFFERENT EGGPLANT (SOLANUM MELONGENA L.) CULTIVARS UNDER GREENHOUSE CONDITIONS

Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is in the 4th rank of vegetable crops (FAO, 1999) and of considerably importance in Asia, Africa and Mediterranean countries; and considered to have medical properties.
The consumption of eggplant in middle Europe is increasing.
We are studying the behavior of both native and bred eggplant genotypes under greenhouse conditions.
Four Asian cultivars are compared with the cultivar ‘Adona’ in winter and summer.
The purpose is to evaluate their productivity potential and to introduce them to the growers in order to increase the diversity of eggplant cultivars in temperate zones.
For that purpose in vitro cloning and experiments under greenhouse conditions for the above-mentioned genotypes are underway.
Their yield and morphological characterization have been the parameters taking into consideration for their evaluation. In vitro experiments have been conducted and the micropropagation behavior of all cultivars has been evaluated, considering the multiplication rate.
It is evident that there are differences between the cultivars regarding their yield and morphological characteristics, beginning of the blossoming and harvest time, under greenhouse conditions; as well as differences in the multiplication rates under in vitro conditions.
The Asian genotypes appear to be suitable for the selection work since their irregular response under both greenhouse and in vitro conditions.

VII International Symposium on Protected Cultivation in Mild Winter Climates: Production, Pest Management and Global Competition

M. Böhme, I.C. Arias, I. Pinker

soilless culture, micropropagation, genotype evaluation

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2004.659.53