Hybrid brinjal with high yield potential

By Our Agriculture Correspondent

HYBRID BRINJALS are known for their high yields and they are particularly preferred in regions of good irrigation potential and well-drained soils.

Though the hybrids are prolific yielder, the cost of cultivation is also quite high when compared to open pollinated high yielding varieties of brinjal.

A number of commercial hybrids are now available for cultivation in the country.

One of the promising hybrids of brinjal is Pusa Hybrid-9 developed and released by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi.

The plants of this hybrid are non-spiny, strong with upright branches green all over with light pigmentation on younger leaves.

It yields oval or round, deep purple fruits, which are glossy. The calyx and stalk will be partially pigmented. Each fruit will weigh about 300 g. It will take 80 to 90 days from sowing to first picking.

It has a high yield potential of 48 to 67 tonnes per hectare, according to the scientists, who developed this hybrid.

Brinjal comes up well in varied agro-climatic conditions, and it does best in loamy garden lands endowed with adequate drainage.

The tiny seeds are sown in elevated nursery beds, which are well tilled and manured. The seeds should be properly treated to prevent any seed-borne diseases.

The nursery should be protected from soil insects and other harmful pests that may attack the crop in the early stages. Botanical insecticides will be ideal for raising a healthy and robust nursery.

The plants should be transplanted into the main field when they are about 30 to 35 days old. The seedlings should have about three to four leaves when they are to be transplanted.

A spacing of 50 cm by 50 cm is recommended for high yielding hybrids. Wider spacing is adopted to suit the specific needs some plant types and soil conditions.

The hybrids respond well to manure and fertilizer application. The nutrient dose should be decided based on soil test results.

The crop should be regularly irrigated. Care should be ensured to have good drainage. Prolonged water logging will be detrimental to the growth of the plants.

The field should be kept free of unwanted vegetation by period weeding. Earthing up of soil once a month will help in providing adequate aeration to the roots, and to expose the soil-borne cocoons of some pests to the sun.

Need-based plant protection using botanical insecticides will prove to be successful. The use of natural enemies of crop pests will prove to be rewarding. Honeybees should be encouraged in the garden, and it will help better fruit set.

In hybrid brinjal cultivation, the cost of seeds will be high, but the good yields will adequately compensate for the initial high investment.

The fruits should be regularly harvested without causing much damage to the plants. Some progressive farmers also try out ratooning in brinjal.

The ratoon crop may not yield as much as the freshly planted crop, and the fruit size and quality will not be as superior as the main crop.

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