What are the key points for eggplant seedling-stage management?
During eggplant cultivation, the seedling stage is when problems are most likely to occur. At this time the seedlings have weak resistance, and once a problem arises it can very easily cause seedling death. Below, the editor has put together the problems that easily occur during the eggplant seedling stage and their solutions. Let's take a look.
1. Phytophthora blight
Eggplant phytophthora blight mainly damages the fruit, stems, leaves and flower parts, and is most likely to occur during the seedling stage, mainly harming the stems. The pathogen of this disease belongs to the oomycetes; the optimum growth temperature for the pathogen is 28-30 degrees, the disease onset temperature is 30 degrees, and the relative air humidity is 85%. Such temperature and humidity conditions are suitable for the formation of pathogen spores, and the disease readily occurs under high temperature and rain with high humidity.
Control method: In addition to strengthening cultivation management, the key is chemical control. For early prevention, protective fungicides can be sprayed; if disease symptoms appear, cymoxanil mancozeb and similar products can be sprayed for control.
2. Graft union diseases
To prevent verticillium wilt and fusarium wilt, many eggplants are now grafted, but the graft union after grafting becomes a pathway for pathogen invasion. When the graft union is infected, planting too deep or covering with plastic film too high leaves the graft union with higher humidity, which also very easily causes pathogen infection, and in severe cases leads to eggplant wilting and dead plants. When the air humidity inside the greenhouse is high, dew condenses at the graft union, giving pathogens an opportunity.
Solution: Therefore, attention must be paid to protecting the graft union to prevent disease. When grafting, the rootstock stem should not be too low, planting should not be too deep, and when covering with plastic film care should be taken to expose the graft union. In this way, the humidity at the graft union is kept low, reducing pathogen infection. For plants that have not yet developed disease, a broad-spectrum fungicide can be sprayed over the stems or mixed into a paste and applied to the stems.
3. Physiological boron deficiency
One cause of boron deficiency during the eggplant seedling stage is insufficient boron fertilizer supplementation; another is that, out of worry about excessive vegetative growth of eggplant, water control measures are adopted, which affects the absorption of boron.
Control method: Applying an appropriate amount of boron fertilizer in the base fertilizer helps eggplant establish a strong root system during the seedling stage. Generally, 0.5-1 kg of boron fertilizer is added when applying base fertilizer, which can meet the eggplant's demand for boron. After eggplant planting, spray boron-containing foliar fertilizer in a timely manner, spraying twice in succession. In addition, pay attention to timely watering to avoid uneven drought and waterlogging.
The above is an introduction to the issues to watch out for during the eggplant seedling stage. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please follow us.