Response of Growth and Yield of Eggplants (Solanum melongena L.) to Organic Mulches and Nitrogen Fertilization Levels During Late Summer Season

doi:10.21608/ejoh.2015.1336

Response of Growth and Yield of Eggplants (Solanum melongena L.) to Organic Mulches and Nitrogen Fertilization Levels During Late Summer Season

Document Type : Original Article

10.21608/ejoh.2015.1336

Abstract

TWO FIELD experiments were conducted with eggplant …….(cv..Sawad.El laiel F1, supplied by Samtrade company) during the successive summer seasons of 2013 and 2014 at a private farm, Kafr El-sheikh Governorate, Egypt to investigate the effect of nitrogen rates (50, 100 and 150kg/fed.), organic mulch (Rice straw, wheat straw and dry grass as well as the bare soil as a control), and their interaction on vegetative growth parameters, yield and fruit quality of eggplants. The obtained results showed that increasing N applied rate was accompanied with significant increases in vegetative growth characterstics (plant height (cm), number of branches and leaves, leaf area (cm2), plant fresh weight (g), both early and total yield and fruit quality (average fruit weight (g) and both length and width of fruit (cm) by increasing N rates up to 150 kg/fed. On the other hand, nitrogen use efficiency was decreased with increment of N rate. Organic mulch treatments had a positive effect on vegetative growth parameters, total yield, fruit quality and nitrogen use efficiency compared with bare soil which had the highest early yield. The best results of aforementioned parameters were recorded by using different types of organic mulch and plants fertilized with 100 kg/fed of Nitrogen.

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