Response of different grafted eggplants in protected culture

Abstract

The study has been conducted in a professional greenhouse where grafted seedlings and grafted eggplants have been produced. Two eggplant hybrids, 'Classic F1' and 'Black Pear F1' were used as scion and one of the Lycopersicon genus, 'Kaiser F1' and three Solanum genus, 'L1S', 'L23B' and 'Torpedo' were used as rootstocks, resulting in eight grafted combinations. It has been observed that for all grafting combinations the grafting percentage was ranging from 95% to 98%. The rootstocks utilized have influenced the vigour of the grafted plants. They influenced plant height which reached values of roughly 1.0 m and number of leaves resulting in values of 2.5-3.0 times higher in comparison to the ungrafted plants. Comparative to the ungrafted plants the grafting combinations also influenced the productivity of plants. The highest fructification potential has been observed at 'Classic F1' grafted on all eggplant rootstocks. Compared to ungrafted plants, which has yielded 2.46 kg per plant, the highest yield obtained from 'Classic F1' grafted on 'L23B' has been of 4.27 kg per plant, followed by 'Torpedo' rootstock with 4.1 kg per plant. 'Black Pearl F1' have been produced 4.15 kg per plant when grafted on the 'Kaiser F1' rootstock and 4 kg per plant when grafted on the 'Torpedo' rootstock. Regarding the production per hectare, the largest production augmentation, of 30%, was noted at 'Classic F1' grafted on the eggplant rootstock 'L23B'. The 'Black Pearl F1' grafted on the tomato rootstock 'Kaiser F1' registered a 20% increment in production. The rootstocks utilized have slightly influenced the content of the soluble dry substance on both hybrids grafted on 'Kaiser F1'. The result has been a 6% dry substance in comparison to the 5.3% at the ungrafted hybrids. The grafting has had an insignificant influence of the total amount of carbohydrates at all grafting combinations.