How to Improve the Fruit-Setting Rate of Eggplant? A Summary of the Latest Methods
Eggplant is a common vegetable available all year round, and market demand for it is fairly high. With large-scale cultivation, however, many growers report that its fruit-setting rate is relatively low, which seriously affects yields. So is there any way to improve the fruit-setting rate of eggplant? Let's take a look.
1. Pinching
During the growth of eggplant, fruit setting generally follows the branching pattern - that is, the more branches, the more fruit it bears. So to encourage branching, you can pinch the growing tips after transplanting, which promotes more branching and also stimulates new shoot growth. Only then will the plant produce more fruit, the fruit-setting rate will rise, and as for the harvest, it goes without saying that high yields may be achieved.
2. Hand pollination
When growing vegetables or fruits, most are left to pollinate naturally, but some crops pollinate poorly on their own, so yields stay low, and at that point hand pollination becomes necessary. The same applies to growing eggplant. Eggplant usually opens its flowers at around 6 a.m., but many farmers make a mistake when growing it: they choose the wrong time for hand pollination, which leads to poor pollination. The best time to pollinate is between 8 and 10 a.m. Besides getting the pollination time right, you also need to master the correct method and carry out the work properly according to the eggplant's own needs to achieve high yields.
3. Spraying hormones
Many growers use certain hormones, and as long as they are used properly, these can raise yields to some extent. But you must pay attention to the way and method of use, because hormones themselves have a certain effect on plants, and frequent use will lower plant quality and affect growth and development. The hormone commonly used for eggplant is 4-CPA (anti-drop agent), and it is best used at the flowering stage. It can prevent flower and fruit drop, and to a certain extent raise the fruit-setting rate, ultimately achieving high yields.
4. Pest and disease control
No matter what vegetable it is, certain pests and diseases are unavoidable during cultivation, and eggplant is no exception. Once pests and diseases cause damage, they are bound to affect the fruit-setting rate. The most common are red spider mites and aphids, and during the flowering and fruiting stage of eggplant, control measures must be taken to avoid low yields. You can disinfect the seeds and soil before sowing, which provides a certain preventive effect; when pests and diseases occur, spray pesticide promptly to keep losses to a minimum.
The above is an introduction to how to improve the fruit-setting rate of eggplant. We hope it helps you. For more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.