High-quality and high-yield cultivation techniques for Yinjia No. 1 eggplant in high mountain areas

Yinjia No. 1 is a new eggplant variety newly bred by the Zhejiang Provincial Agricultural New Variety Introduction and Development Center. Our county introduced it in 2001 and successfully trial-planted it in high mountain areas, and the planting area has expanded year by year. In 2004, the county's planting area of Yinjia No. 1 reached 120 hectares, with an average yield of 3721.2 kg per mu and an output value of 4093.3 yuan; the highest field reached a yield of 4855.5 kg per mu and an output value of 5341.0 yuan, achieving good economic benefits. The high-quality and high-yield cultivation techniques for Yinjia No. 1 are summarized as follows:

1 Raising strong seedlings

1.1 Seed treatment Generally, hot water seed soaking is used. Before soaking, first soak the seeds in water at room temperature for 15 minutes, then place the seeds in hot water at 50°C and soak them for 15 minutes. After the seeds are placed in, stir continuously so that the seeds are heated evenly. Once the water temperature drops to room temperature, stop stirring, then soak for another 4 hours.

1.2 Sowing sparsely at the right time Sow in early April, using 25 g of seed per mu, requiring a seedbed of 20-25 sq m. Choose a seedbed plot that is sheltered from the wind and sunny, with high and dry ground and good drainage, and where no vegetable crops of the same family have been planted within 3 years. The bed width is 1-1.2 m. Before sowing, finely break up and level the seedbed, combine with soil disinfection (using 20% methyl tolclofos-methyl EC at 800-1000 times dilution), water thoroughly, and sow after it dries slightly. After sowing, gently press with a wooden board so that the seeds contact the soil, then cover with disinfected nutrient soil (to the extent that the seeds are no longer visible), sprinkle water to cover the seeds, thinly cover with dry rice straw, and immediately cover with plastic film and a small arched shed film to preserve heat and moisture.

1.3 Strengthen seedling-stage management When about 40% of the seeds have broken through the soil layer, remove the rice straw and plastic film. During the germination period, maintain the bed temperature at 25-30°C, and generally do not remove the film. After the cotyledons unfold, ventilate and cool down in time, maintaining the bed temperature at 15-20°C during the day and 12-16°C at night. At the 2-leaf stage, thin out dense seedlings, fill in sparse spots, and remove weak seedlings. During the seedling stage, maintain the bed temperature at 18-25°C, and 15-18°C at night. During the seedling growth period, according to seedling growth and weather conditions, remove and cover the film in time to regulate the temperature and humidity inside the shed. Properly control watering and reduce the number of waterings, so that the surface soil is not watered until it turns white, and when watering, water thoroughly. Fertilize according to seedling condition; when lacking fertilizer, apply 10% decomposed human manure or a 0.3%-0.5% compound fertilizer aqueous solution; for foliar topdressing, spray with 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate aqueous solution or amino acid compound fertilizer at 1000-1200 times dilution, or 481 (brassinolide) at 8000 times dilution. The main diseases at the seedling stage are damping-off and rhizoctonia rot. Once diseased plants are found, pull them out immediately and spray with 64% oxadixyl-mancozeb WP at 500 times dilution. In addition, pay attention to properly ventilating the seedbed to prevent excessive moisture. The main pests are aphids and underground pests, and early prevention and early control should be carried out.

2 Apply more organic fertilizer

Apply base fertilizer half a month before planting. Because Yinjia No. 1 has high yield per plant and a large fertilizer requirement, more organic fertilizer should be applied, and sufficient basal fertilizer should be applied. Apply 2500-3000 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer, 150-200 kg of organic mixed fertilizer, 30-40 kg of ternary compound fertilizer, and 40-50 kg of calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer per mu. All fertilizers are applied in furrows in the bed, generally requiring an application depth of 25-30 cm.

3 Transplant at the right time and plant at a reasonable density

Yinjia No. 1 is transplanted in mid-May, with a seedling age of about 35 days, when the eggplant seedlings have 6-7 true leaves, and should be done on a sunny and warm day. The bed width (including ditch) is 1.3-1.4 m, planting two rows, with a plant spacing of 0.45-0.5 cm, and about 2100 plants per mu.

4 Strengthen field management

4.1 Pruning and leaf removal After the first eggplant begins to flower, remove all side branches below the first eggplant. Side branches above the first eggplant are not pruned. Set up supports in time. If pruning is too early, it is not conducive to root development; if too late, it will cause excessive vegetative growth and be detrimental to the development of the whole plant. Leaf removal should be timely. If there are too many leaves, it will affect ventilation and light penetration, reduce the fruit-setting rate, cause fruit bending, and thus reduce marketability. If there are too few leaves, it is not conducive to photosynthesis and reduces yield. The principle for removing leaves is to remove old leaves and diseased leaves at the fruiting position of the eggplants to be harvested. The degree of leaf removal depends on the weather and growth vigor. In cloudy and rainy weather, when the plants grow vigorously, remove more; otherwise, remove fewer. Bury deeply or burn the removed diseased, old, and yellow leaves in time.

4.2 Fertilizer and water management For topdressing, generally after every 2-3 harvests, topdress once. Use hole application, applying 15-20 kg of ternary compound fertilizer and 5 kg of urea per mu. Yinjia No. 1 has a well-developed root system and a high water requirement. In case of drought, water in time or irrigate shallow furrows.

4.3 Pest and disease control The main diseases include Phytophthora blight and brown spot disease, etc. Prevention should be the main approach, with integrated management. For chemicals, you can choose 75% chlorothalonil WP at 600-800 times dilution, 64% oxadixyl-mancozeb WP at 300-400 times dilution, 50% mepiquat chloride WP at 600 times dilution, etc. for spraying. The main pests include aphids, red spiders, tea yellow mites, thrips, and tobacco cutworms. For aphids, you can choose 10% imidacloprid WP at 1500 times dilution or 0.36% matrine AS at 600 times dilution for spraying; for red spiders and tea yellow mites, you can choose 1% abamectin at 2000 times dilution or 73% propargite at 2000-3000 times dilution, or 1.8% insect-mite clear EC at 1500-2000 times dilution for spraying; for thrips, 20% acetamiprid at 2000-3000 times dilution can be used for spraying; for cutworms and other noctuid pests, 20% diflubenzuron SC at 1000 times dilution, or 5% chlorfluazuron EC at 1000 times dilution, or BT powder at 600 times dilution can be used for spraying. When spraying, ensure both upper and lower sides and both front and back sides are sprayed. Spray once every 5-7 days, for 2-3 consecutive times, and alternate pesticides.

5 Harvest in time

For harvesting Yinjia No. 1, grasp the principle of "better early than late, better tender than old." Generally, when the white ring-shaped band (the eggplant eye) at the junction of the calyx and the fruit begins to become indistinct, it indicates that the fruit is growing more slowly, and it should be harvested in time, graded, packed, and brought to market.