How to Control Excessive Growth in Eggplant? Latest Tutorial on Growth Control Techniques and Methods

Eggplant grows vigorously and has a relatively developed root system. Many growers worry about excessive growth in eggplant, which leads to overly long internode elongation and oversized leaves, affecting flowering and fruiting later on. Excessive growth in eggplant is also a common and widespread phenomenon during cultivation, so how should eggplant growth be controlled? Let's find out together.

1. Temperature control

During the fruiting period, the suitable daytime growth temperature for eggplant is 25-28 degrees, and 15-18 degrees at night. For plants growing too vigorously, the temperature should be controlled somewhat lower, so on clear days it is best to ventilate to let air through, keeping the greenhouse temperature no lower than 28 degrees. Controlling nighttime temperature is also key to suppressing excessive growth in eggplant, especially the temperature in the latter half of the night. Generally, the temperature in the first half of the night should be kept at around 18-20 degrees to facilitate the transport of leaf photosynthetic products, but the temperature in the latter half of the night must be low to inhibit plant respiration, with the air temperature at about 13°C when the straw matting is lifted being suitable.

2. Water control

For warm water in excessively growing plants, avoid flood irrigation; instead, water every other row, watering only between the planting rows. Generally, watering half a furrow at a time is sufficient. When controlling eggplant plant size, do not over-control water, because excessive control can cause some drawbacks. First, it causes poor flower bud differentiation and the formation of short styles, increasing deformed fruits; second, it causes poor plant growth and development, with strong vigor, larger yellow leaves, and a high susceptibility to premature aging; third, during the vigorous growth period, plants have a greater demand for fertilizer and water. If water is supplied long-term, the roots absorb insufficient water and nutrients, causing slow fruit growth and easy formation of stiff fruits, resulting in lower yield.

3. Plants with vigorous growth should retain more fruits

For plants with vigorous growth, retain as many fruits as possible to regulate the balance between vegetative growth and reproductive growth. Also, the first fruit should not be removed too early; it should be removed after the paired fruit has grown to the size of an egg and the flowers of the third tier of fruits have been pollinated.

4. Chemical growth control

There are many plant growth regulators for controlling excessive plant growth, such as chlormequat, mepiquat chloride, paclobutrazol, and others. However, when using them, because the concentration of chlormequat and paclobutrazol is difficult to master, once the concentration is too high, it will lead to extremely low yield. Therefore, it is recommended to use mepiquat chloride or a higher concentration of 2.85% sodium naphthalene acetate aqueous solution for regulation. Generally, the use concentration of mepiquat chloride is a 750-fold solution, and the concentration of 2.85% sodium naphthalene acetate aqueous solution is a 3000-fold solution.

The above is an introduction to eggplant growth control techniques. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please follow us.