What causes stiff fruit in eggplants? Causes and control methods
We are all familiar with eggplant; it is one of the common fruiting vegetables in our lives and is widely grown throughout the country. However, as the planting area of eggplant has expanded, the phenomenon of stiff fruit in eggplant has become more and more common and increasingly serious, causing great losses to farmers and also hindering the development of the eggplant planting industry. So what causes stiff fruit in eggplant? And how should it be controlled? Let's take a look together with Qinong Net.
1. Planting environment
During the seedling stage of eggplant, if it encounters an environment of high temperature and high humidity as well as insufficient light, it will cause the plant to grow slowly, and it is also prone to causing thin and weak flower stalks and short styles, resulting in weak plant growth and poor development, with insufficient nutrients to support flowering and fruiting, and the fruit produced is also prone to the stiff fruit phenomenon.
Control methods: Throughout the entire growth process of eggplant, temperature must be well controlled. Generally, the daytime temperature should be below 30 degrees, and it should not exceed a high temperature of 35 degrees, while the nighttime temperature should be around 15-20 degrees, and must not be lower than 14 degrees. Especially before and after flowering, if there is rainy weather, the light intensity can be increased, and drainage should be carried out in time to prevent waterlogging.
2. Insufficient water
During the fruiting stage, eggplant has a relatively high demand for water. If there is drought and water shortage at this time, with relatively low temperatures, and poor seedling recovery causes poor plant growth, this also provides favorable conditions for future stiff fruit.
Control methods: During the fruiting stage of eggplant, watering should be done in a timely and appropriate amount, but it is not easy to water too much, so as to avoid excessive water accumulation in the soil causing root growth problems. Watering must be even and thorough, and ventilation should be strengthened after watering. During rainy weather, drainage should be carried out in time.
3. Improper fertilization
During the planting process, if nitrogen fertilizer is excessively applied blindly, causing the plant to have excessive nutrition due to nitrogen, the probability of stiff fruit appearing is relatively high. In addition, excessive application of potassium fertilizer will cause the plant to grow excessively, while nutrients are not transported into the fruit, causing insufficient nutrients in the fruit and resulting in stiff fruit.
Control methods: When fertilizing, correct fertilization techniques must be mastered. Choose fully decomposed organic fertilizer as base fertilizer, and the base fertilizer must be applied sufficiently. When applying additional fertilizer, pay attention to the reasonable combined application of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers. In addition, attention should also be paid to trace elements such as calcium. If a small amount of stiff fruit appears, foliar fertilizer can be sprayed to promote plant growth and reduce the number of stiff fruits.
4. Influence of drugs
When planting, some farmers often use drug hormones to increase the fruit-setting rate and boost yield. Although the fruit-setting rate increases, the plant cannot supply enough nutrients for fruit growth and development, forming stiff fruit. In addition, excessive dosage and relatively high concentration of some flower-preserving and fruit-preserving agents and anti-drop agents can also lead to the occurrence of stiff fruit.
Control methods: Use these drugs correctly, and it is not advisable to apply them in excessive amounts or at excessive concentration. If the stiff fruit phenomenon is found, old leaves and stiff fruits should be removed in time to avoid nutrient consumption and reduce the number of stiff fruits.
The above are the causes and control methods of stiff fruit in eggplant brought to you by Qinong Net. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more about eggplant, please stay tuned to Qinong Net.