Response of Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) to Sowing Date and Training Method under Unheated Plastic House Condition

Abstract

This study was conducted during season 2009/2010 in Basrah. The aim ofexperiment was to study the effect of sowing date and training method on growth and yieldof eggplant (Solanum melongena L.). The experiment included three sowing date (15/8, 1/9 and 15/9) and three training methods (No training, training on two and three stems).Completely Randomized Block Design was used with three replicates. The result showedthat sowing on the 1/9 caused a significant increase in stem diameter, leaves number/plant,leaf area, fresh and dry weight and number of total flowers/plant, there was also significantincrease in fruit number, early plant yield, total plant yield, early plant yield and total yieldin comparison with other sowing dates. Sowing on the 15/9 gave the highest increase inplant height and caused a significant decrease in the number of days for the appearance ofthe first flower bud, However plants grown on the 15/8 date gave the highest percentage offruit set, fruit weight, length, diameter, percentage of dry matter and protein. As for trainingmethod, plants trained on three stems had a significantly higher plant and gave the highesttotal yield and production whereas plans trained on two stems had a significantly increasein stem diameter, percentage of fruit set, fruit weight, length, diameter, early yield/plantearly production, percentage of dry matter and protein in comparison to other sowing dates.No training plants showed significantly higher leaf area, leaf number, fresh and dry weight,total number of flowers/plant as well as total number of fruit in comparison to other sowingdates. The interaction between the two factors of experiment studied, showed significantincrease in all mentioned qualities except for the early plant yield and early productivity.