Sustainable Organic Growing Media for Improved Growth and Yield of Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.)

Abstract

The present study aims to know the effect of different growing media on growth and yielding attributes of brinjal (Solanum melongena L.). Seeds were sown in pots under greenhouse at Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) Islamabad, Pakistan. The pot experiment has 5 treatments each replicated 5 times; with control T0 (Soil), and rest of the treatments as mixtures; such as T1 (Sand+Soil+Farm yard Manure), T2 (Sand+Soil+FYM+Peat Moss), T3 (Sand+ Peat Moss), T4 (Sand+Soil+Ash). Different parameters i.e., Plant height (cm), Leaf length (cm), Leaf width (cm), and number of fruits were observed on 4 months of trials. Maximum plant height (59 cm) was observed in T1 (Sand+Soil+FYM), the maximum leaf length (19 cm) was observed in T4 (Sand+Soil+Ash), maximum leaf width (13 cm) was observed in T4 (Sand+Soil+Ash), and the maximum number of fruits (8) were observed in T2 (Sand+Soil+FYM+Peat Moss). It was concluded from experiment that treatment with mixture of sand, soil, and farmyard manure (T1) considerably raised plant height, whereas the treatment mixture of sand, soil, and ash (T4) increased leaf length and width. The combination of sand, soil, farmyard manure, and peat moss (T2) produced the greatest quantity of fruits. Hence, T2 proved to be most effective in producing greater number of fruits thus enhancing yield. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of organic fertilizers in enhancing plant growth and output while being ecofriendly. So, organic fertilizers should be used as an alternative to chemical treatments in brinjal plants.