In rainy summers, eggplants are prone to fruit rot, so disease prevention measures must keep pace during the rainy season

    Right now is the fruiting stage of eggplants, which is prone to diseases such as Phytophthora fruit rot, brown spot, and anthracnose, causing fruit rot, making the eggplants worthless and resulting in major economic losses. Eggplant fruit rot is difficult to control, so paying attention to disease prevention and fruit protection measures during the rainy season is an important part of achieving high eggplant yields. Below, I will share a few effective methods to prevent eggplant fruit rot during the rainy season.

Eggplant fruit rot

    1. Strengthen cultivation management: When growing eggplants, choose soil on high, dry ground with good drainage. Transplant on raised ridges; as the rainy season approaches, clear the furrows, drain promptly after rain, water lightly with well water, and prevent damage from hot rain. 

    2. Fertilizer, water, and light management: Apply sufficient basal fertilizer, topdress in time, increase phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, and avoid over-applying nitrogen fertilizer. Plant at a reasonable density, appropriately remove old leaves at the base of the eggplants, and improve ventilation and light conditions between the eggplant rows. Apply fruit-promoting and seedling-strengthening fertilizer 2-3 times to improve the disease resistance of the eggplant plants. Along with fertilizing, hill up the soil to facilitate drainage and prevent waterlogging. 

    3. Eliminate sources of disease: Promptly remove yellow leaves, old leaves, diseased leaves, and diseased fruit at the base of the eggplants, carry them out of the field, and bury or burn them. Spread wheat straw or black film between the ridges to prevent rain splash from spreading disease and reduce reinfection by the pathogens that cause fruit rot. 

    4. Fertilizer and pesticide prevention: Before the rainy season arrives, spray the leaves and fruit of the eggplants with 500-fold Hexin liquid fertilizer plus 0.3% DT fungicide to prevent eggplant infection. 

    5. Chemical control: 

    1. Chemical protection: Before eggplant fruit rot occurs or in the early stage of the disease, begin spraying, focusing on protecting the middle and lower fruit of the eggplants. The chemicals can include 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder at 600-fold dilution, 72.2% Previcur SL at 800-fold dilution, and 1:1:200 Bordeaux mixture, etc., used in rotation and alternation, once every 7-10 days, sprayed 3-4 times in a row, with good control results.

 
    2. Chemical control: If diseased eggplant plants are found after rain, promptly spray 70% thiophanate-methyl at 1000-1200-fold dilution or 75% chlorothalonil at 500-800-fold dilution, etc.