Can urea be used for topdressing eggplant? Usage and dosage need attention

We all know that eggplant has a high fertilizer demand during the growing period, and reasonable topdressing helps increase its yield. So, can urea be used for topdressing eggplant?

1. Can urea be used for topdressing eggplant?

Yes, but the dosage needs to be controlled, and the amount per mu should be controlled within 30 kg. If the application rate is too high, it will cause ammonia damage to eggplant leaves and fruit.

2. Key points of fertilizing eggplant

1. Apply heavy base fertilizer

Eggplant is a fertilizer-loving and fertilizer-tolerant crop with a relatively long growing period. To obtain high yield, sufficient base fertilizer must be applied before transplanting. The amount of base fertilizer accounts for about 1/3-1/2 of the total fertilizer application. Generally, 5000-7000 kg of high-quality decomposed organic fertilizer (chicken manure, horse manure, cow manure, pig manure, etc.) is applied per mu. It is best to broadcast 2/3 of it and mix 1/3 with an appropriate amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium compound fertilizer 25-50 kg, then apply it in a concentrated way into the planting furrow or planting hole.

2. Topdress in split applications

Eggplant has a long fruiting period and requires multiple topdressings. The amount of nutrients absorbed by eggplant increases rapidly after the full flowering stage, so the key period for topdressing is from “the first fruit setting” to the harvest of “the four-door fruit cluster”. During this period, topdress once every 10-15 days, applying 15-20 kg of ammonium sulfate or 7.5-10 kg of urea per mu each time, or apply 500-600 kg of decomposed human manure and urine. The fertilization method can be furrow application, hole application, or flushing with water. If it is midsummer high-temperature season or greenhouse cultivation, flushing with water should be avoided to prevent the volatilization of effective ingredients, which can lead to reduced fertilizer efficiency and fertilizer damage.

3. Foliar spraying

Eggplant leaves turn yellow due to nitrogen deficiency, and when magnesium is deficient, the area near the main veins easily loses green and turns yellow, often causing leaf drop and affecting yield. To make up for the deficiency of root fertilization, starting from the fruiting stage, foliar spraying can be carried out with urea, monopotassium phosphate, magnesium sulfate, etc. according to the growth of eggplant. Generally once every 7-10 days, spraying 2-3 times in succession.

4. Be cautious with phosphate fertilizer

Eggplant has a relatively high phosphorus requirement at the seedling stage, and the absorption of phosphorus relatively decreases during the fruit enlargement stage and peak fruiting stage. Therefore, applying more phosphate fertilizer at the seedling stage can promote root development and survival after transplanting, which is beneficial to plant growth and increasing yield. After eggplant enters the peak growth period, because the phosphorus requirement decreases, phosphate fertilizer should be applied sparingly or not at all, so as not to promote seed development in the fruit, cause hardening of the fruit skin, reduce quality, and affect the commercial value of eggplant.

5. Apply less chemical fertilizer

In the process of fertilizing eggplant, the fertilization principle of mainly using organic fertilizer and supplementing with chemical fertilizer must be grasped. The amount of chemical fertilizer cannot be too large, especially nitrogen fertilizer, so as to avoid the accumulation of nitrate in eggplant products due to excessive nitrogen, which harms human health.

When fertilizing eggplant, everyone can also adjust according to its growth conditions to achieve a good harvest.