Brinjal belongs to Solanaceae family, considered native to India and is a widely grown vegetable in Asian countries. It is a hardy crop than other vegetables. Due to its hardness, it can be successfully grown in dry area with low irrigation facilities. It is moderate source of Vitamins and minerals. It can grow throughout the year. India is second largest producer of Brinjal after China. In India, major Brinjal growing states are West Bengal, Orissa, Karnataka, Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh.

Brinjal is a hardy crop so it can be grown on different type of soils. As it is a long duration crop, it required well drained fertile sandy loam soil is best suited for its cultivation and gives good yield. For early crop, light soil is good and for high yield clay loam, silt loam is suitable. For good growth pH of soil should be 5.5 to 6.6.

Pusa Kranti: Released by IARI, New Delhi. It has thick fruit, long, deep purple in color and is shining. The plant is ready to harvest after 60-65 days of transplanting. It gives an average yield of 145-166qtl/acre.

Pusa Purple Long: It has thin fruits, approximately 20-25cm long and are in bunches. The fruits are ready to harvest after 55-60 days. It gives an average yield of 125-208qtl/acre. It is suitable for both seasons.

Pusa purple cluster: It has small fruits and is purple in color and is in bunches.  The variety matures in 55-60 days after transplanting. It gives an average yield of 104-125qtl/acre.

PH 4: It has thick fruits, approximately 20cm long and brinjal color. This variety is suitable both for Rabi and Kharif season. The variety matures in 55-60 days after transplanting. It gives an average yield of 145-166qtl/acre.

Pusa Purple Round: It has round and purple color flowers. The average weight of fruits is 250-300gm. The plant matures after 80-85 days of transplanting. It is suitable for Rabi season. It gives an average yield of 83-104qtl/acre.

Pant Samrat: Released by GBPAU in 1983. It has long fruits, in some bunches and shining purple in color. The variety is resistant to bacterial wilt. Plants are long and grow fast. Fruits are ready after 70 days of transplanting. It gives an average yield of 125-166qtl/acre. It is suitable for growing all over India. 

Pant Rituraj: The variety is released by Pantnagar University in 1994. It is suitable for sowing in both seasons. Fruits are attractive shining purple in color. Fruits are egg-round in shape. The fruits are ready to harvest in 60 days. It gives an average yield of 104-125qtl/acre.

Punjab Barsati: Released by Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. It has long fruits and hybrid variety. Plants are small. It gives an average yield of 125-166qtl/acre.

Pant Hybrid Brinjal-1: Released by Pantnagar Agricultural University in 1993. It gives an average yield of 200-240qtl/acre.

Pusa Hybrid 5: Released by IARI, New Delhi. It is a hybrid variety which has long fruits, thick and attractive purple in color. It gives an average yield of 208-250qtl/acre.

NDB 1: It is hybrid variety which is released in 1993. It gives an average yield of 208-250qtl/acre.

Plough land for three- four times and bring soil to fine tilth. Apply well decomposed cowdung@42 quintal per acre and mix well in soil.

Seeds of brinjal are sown in nursery beds which are 3 meter long, 1 meter wide and 15 cm high. Well rotten cowdung is mixed in nursery bed. Nursery bed is drenched with Captan solution two days before sowing to avoid the attack of damping off disease in brinjal nursery. Then seeds are sown in rows 2.5cm apart and at depth of 1.5cm. After then give light irrigation. The nursery beds should be covered with black polythene sheets or paddy straw till the seed germinates. Healthy seedlings having 3-4 leaves or 12-15cm in height (30-40 days crop) are ready for transplanting. 

Time of sowing
Sowing should be done three times; first sowing should be done in November month, then second sowing should be done in April month and then third sowing should be done in mid-June.

Seed Rate

Apply fertilizer dose of Nitrogen@7-11kg in the form of Urea@16-25kg/acre, Phosphorus@4-5kg in the form of DAP@25-33kg/acre and Potash@24-30kg/acre in the form of MOP@41-50kg/acre in soil and mix well. Half dose of urea and full dose of SSP and MOP is added at the time of transplanting. Rest of the urea is added in two equal splits at the interval of 1 month.

WSF: Apply Humic acid@1Ltr/acre or do soil application of 5 kg granules/acre, in initial vegetative growth of crop. It will help in better vegetative growth and good yield. 10-15days after transplantation take spray of NPK 19:19:19 @10gm along with micronutrient@2.5 to 3gm/Ltr of water. In vegetative growth, sometime due to low temperature plant cannot absorb nutrients from soil, plant get weak and give yellow appearance. In such situation give spray of NPK 19:19:19 or 12:61:00@5-7gm/Ltr of water. If required, repeat spray after 10-15 days. 40-45 days after transplantation, take spray of 20% Boron@1gm along with micronutrient@2.5 to 3 gram per liter of water. To fulfill nutrient requirement and to increase yield by 10-15%, give two sprays of NPK 13:00:45@20gm/Ltr of water. Give first spray at 50days and second 10days after first spray. When the crop is in flowering or fruiting stage, take spray of 00:52:34 or NPK 13:00:45@20gm/Ltr of water.

In high temperature flower drop is observed, to control flower drop take spray of NAA@4ml/15Ltr water when crop is in flowering stage. Repeat spray after 20-25 days.

Generally two - four weeding’s and hoeing are necessary for weed control, aeration and for the good growth of plants. Mulching with black polythene film reduces weed growth and maintains soil temperature.

Irrigate the field after every third or fourth day during the summer season and after 12 to 15 days during the winter season. Timely irrigation is very important for high yields of brinjal. Brinjal fields should be regularly irrigated to keep the soil moist during frosty days. Avoid water stagnation in field as brinjal cannot tolerate water logging.

•  Pest and their control

Thrips: To check severity of thrips, keep blue sticky traps@6-8 per acre and to reduce the incidence take spray of Verticillium lecani@5 gram/Ltr of water. If incidence of thrips is more, to control take spray of Fipronil@2 ml/Litre of water.

Mite: If infestation of Mite is observed in field, to control take spray of Abamectin@1-2 ml/Ltr or Fenazaquin@2 ml/Ltr of water.

 • Disease and their control

Damping Off: Moist and poorly drain soil causes damping off disease. It is soil borne disease. Water soaking and shriveling of stem occurs. Seedlings killed before emergence. If it appears in nursery the entire lot of seedling may get destroyed. It is a serious disease of brinjal.

Phomopsis Blight and Fruit Rot: Dark brown color spots appear on leaves. The fruit show watery lesion and becomes black in appearance.

Wilt: Dropping of entire leaves along with yellowing of crops. Wilting or drying of entire plant is seen. If infected stems cut and dipped in water, a white milky stream appears.

Brinjal is harvested when the fruit attain proper size, color and before ripening stage. The fruit should have glossy appearance, attractive bright color to fetch good prices in the market.

Brinjal fruits cannot be stored at room temperature for long duration because of high transpiration rate and water loss. Brinjal fruit can be stored for 2-3 weeks at 10-11°C temperature and 92% relative humidity. After harvesting, grading is done on the basis of quality like super, fancy and commercial. For packing, use gunny bags or baskets.