Effects of Grafting on Morphophysiological and Yield Characteristic of Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) Grafted onto Wild Relative Rootstocks.

Muhammad Asyraf Md Hatta,Samuel Chibuike Chukwu,Jamilu Halidu,Shairul Izan Ramlee,Ibrahim Musa,Nur Nadzirah Mat Sulaiman,Khairulmazmi Ahmad,Yusuff Oladosu,Isma’Ila Muhammad,Mohd Y Rafii,Arolu Fatai Ayanda

doi:10.3390/plants9111583

Muhammad Asyraf Md Hatta, Samuel Chibuike Chukwu + Show 9 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9111583

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Abstract

Grafting is regarded as an integral component of sustainable vegetable production. It is important in the management of soil-borne diseases, and reports suggest that grafting with viable rootstocks can enhance crop growth and yield. This research was conducted using splices and cleft grafting techniques to investigate graft compatibility among varieties of high yielding eggplant scion (MCV1, MCV2, CCV1, CCV2, CCV3, NCV, and TCV) grafted onto wild rootstocks (MWR, BWR, and TWR) to study their morphophysiological and yield characteristics. High yielding scions grafted onto wild relative rootstocks were compared with two controls including self-grafted and non-grafted. All the scion had a high rate of germination (≥95%) and remarkable graft success (100%) was recorded in MCV1, MCV2, and TCV using the cleft techniques. Generally, the use of rootstocks resulted in higher total and marketable fruit yield compared to the non-grafted and self-grafted scion plants, respectively. In particular, MWR and TWR rootstock conferred the highest vigour to the scion, resulting in the highest values recorded for total and marketable fruit yield, number of fruits per plant and average fruit weight. A similar result was obtained in fruit length and diameter, where long and wide fruits were observed in scions grafted onto MWR and TWR rootstocks, respectively. Grafting of high yielding eggplant scion onto resistant MWR, BWR and TWR eggplant rootstock was found to be beneficial for eggplant cultivation. The remarkable compatibility and vigour of the rootstock with scion led to the improvement in total and marketable yield of the fruits. As such, it can be concluded that the use of wild relative rootstocks of eggplant species can be a valuable method of improving eggplant production.

Highlights

Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is one of the most cultivated vegetables in temperate and tropical regions of the world
Grafting technology has the potential to promote the production of eggplant in marginal and fragile agro-ecosystem and has proven to be a rapid alternative tool to confer resistance to bacterial wild disease, promote plant vigour, increase fruit yield and fruit quality in eggplant production
In Malaysia, where the eggplant production is still carried out mostly through conventional methods and modern production techniques are limited, the grafting technique could help in solving many problems related to eggplant production

Summary

Introduction

Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is one of the most cultivated vegetables in temperate and tropical regions of the world. It differs in colour, shape and fruit size. The colour depends on content of anthocyanins present in the fruit skin. Eggplant skin extracts have shown high capacity for inhibiting inflammation that leads to atherosclerosis and suppressing metastasis and tumours growth in the blood vessels by developing scavenging free radicals that can damage proteins and lipids [2]. Flavonoids isolated from eggplant have shown a great antioxidant activity and their presence in diet is associated with lower risk of heart disease, lung cancer and stroke [2]

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