The findings shown in this study provide insight into the microbial succession during spontaneous pickle fermentation and the role of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum in eggplant pickle production. Moreover, the novel method of using filter-sterilized vegetable juice with an artificial microbiota to emulate spontaneous fermentation can be applied to other spontaneously fermented products. This approach allows for the evaluation of the effect of specific initial microbiota in the absence of plant-associated bacteria from raw materials potentially promoting a greater understanding of microbial behavior in complex microbial ecosystems during vegetable fermentation.

ABSTRACT To study the effects of mutual intercropping on selenium (Se) accumulation in three different varieties of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.), seedlings of three eggplant varieties (red, green, and black) were intercropped with various combinations in soil containing Se. The seedlings’ growth, physiology, and Se accumulation characteristics were compared. The biomass of red eggplant was increased by intercropping with black eggplant and by the three-varieties intercropping treatment. Other treatments decreased or did not significantly affect the biomass of the three eggplant varieties. The contents of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophylls, and carotenoids), activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase), and soluble protein contents of the three eggplant varieties seedlings almost showed the same trends among the mutual intercropping treatments. Compared with the respective monocultures, intercropping of red and green eggplant increased the Se content in green eggplant seedlings; intercropping of red and black eggplant increased the Se content in black eggplant seedlings; intercropping of green and black eggplant increased the Se content in green eggplant seedlings; and intercropping of all three varieties increased Se contents in red and black eggplant seedlings. The correlation analysis indicated that the Se content had no significant correlation with other items. Therefore, mutual intercropping can promote the Se absorption of eggplant seedlings to some extent, and maybe a useful cultivation strategy for eggplant.

Eggplant has recently suffered a serious threat from a virus infection that causes mosaic and fruit deformation in eggplant fields in Iraq. The infection ratio has registered between 1-80% in examined eggplant fields. The Illumina platform has been applied to sequencing genomic DNA and total RNAseq of symptomatic samples in addition to healthy genomic DNA. The analysis of an entire RNA data revealed Eggplant mild leaf mottle virus (EMLMV) as a causal agent of the symptoms. The sequence of EMLMV was composed of 9280 nt encodes ten protein domains and the transcripts per million (TPM) was 9. Two endogenous pararetroviruses registered, Caulimovirus - SMe and SmelV belong to Caulimovirus and Florendovirus genera with lengths of 8233 and 6198 nt respectively, and both were found interestingly in the RNA transcripts. Phylogeny has revealed EMLMV and endogenous elements’ relations to related viruses.

ABSTRACT The effects of air temperature and sample thickness on the drying kinetics of blanched/unblanched eggplant slices were investigated. Eggplant slices were dried as single layers with thicknesses of 0.5 and 1 cm in the range of 50–80C of drying air temperature in a cabinet dryer. Moisture transfer from eggplant slices was described by applying Fick's diffusion model. The values of effective diffusivity varied from 0.93 × 10−10 to 8.84 × 10−10 m2/s, depending on drying conditions. Effective diffusivity values increased with increasing temperature. The temperature dependence of the effective diffusivity was found to follow the Arrhenius relationship. The values of activation energy (Ea) varied from 20.12 to 30.83 kJ/mol for blanched/unblanched eggplant slices. A nonlinear regression procedure was used to fit two semi‐theoretical models available in the literature to the experimental moisture loss data. The models were compared based on the coefficient of determination, the reduced chi‐square and the root mean square error between the observed and predicted moisture ratios. The Page model was found to be most suitable in describing the drying characteristics of eggplant slices.PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSThe blanching treatment, followed by hot‐air drying, may provide a practical method for the preservation of eggplant and the production of dried eggplant slices. The objective of this research was to determine the thin‐layer drying characteristics of eggplants, to observe the effect of process parameters such as drying temperature and slice thickness, and to calculate effective diffusivity and activation energy for the drying of eggplant slices. The dried eggplants could be used in preparation of different kinds of meals.

Diversification of cultivation systems plays a critical role in ecosystem functions such as pest control, diversity of beneficial arthropods, and soil fertility. Repellent plants (releasing volatile organic compounds as arthropod repellents and providing alternative prey for natural enemies) may be used in an intercropping system for pest control; however, little is known concerning their relative priority. In this study, the impact of intercropping eggplant (E) (Solanum melongena L.) and garlic (G) (Allium sativum L.) in three designs -with row ratios of 4E:4G, 4E:8G, or 4E:12G -was assessed on the density of the two-spotted spider mite (TSSM) (Tetranychus urticae Koch), the abundance and diversity of predators, and crop yields, compared with the sole crops over two growing seasons of 2019 and 2020. In three intercrops, a significant decrease in the density of TSSM egg and mobile stages was observed compared with the sole eggplant at each growth stage of eggplant. The damage index by TSSM on eggplants was lower in intercrops (8.1-11.5%) compared with sole crop (37.0-40.3%) in the two seasons. The abundance of Stethorus gilvifrons was lower in the three intercrops than in the sole crop on the blooming-initial fruit set and the fruit development stages of eggplant. The density of Orius niger was higher in the three intercrops compared with the sole crop on vegetative growth and flowering to initial fruit set stages of eggplants. The abundance of Chrysoperla carnea was not significant among treatments. Greater values of the Shannon diversity index and the Pielou's evenness index for the construction of TSSM predators were recorded in the three intercrops compared with the sole eggplant over both growing seasons. In addition, a significant improvement in the yield per unit area of eggplant and garlic was obtained in intercrops compared with sole crops. These results indicate intercropping eggplant and garlic was a practical solution for reducing TSSM on eggplant, promoting the abundance of predators, and improving the crop yields of eggplant and garlic compared with the sole crops.

Abstract A new distribution map is provided for Eggplant mottled crinkle virus. Tombusviridae: Tombusvirus. Main host: aubergine ( Solanum melongena ).

Eggplant cultivars comprise one of the most diverse botanical groups in world foodcrop agriculture. Their dietary origins are in China, Japan, Thailand, Africa and Europe. Over the last 60 years in the United States, eggplant has transitioned from a minor ethnic crop into a major vegetable commodity. Four years of horticultural studies in New Jersey have compared 33 worldwide cultivars. Eggplant cultivars included: Asian types—Long Purple, Millionaire, Machiaw, Orient Charm, Bride, Pingtung Long, Ichiban, Thai Round Green, Thai Long Green, and Thai Hard Skin; Indian types—Kermit, Bharta, and Pushpa; African types—Bitterballs, Kinalia, Kinalia XL, and Gangan; European types—Megal, Red Egg, Bambino, Cloud Nine, Rosa Bianca, Comprido Verde Claro; and New York; and several Russian types. These studies utilized raised beds and black plastic with drip irrigation at 30' spacing between plants and five to six feet between single row beds. Two replications were used in initial screening surveys and with four replications for in-depth studies of superior candidates. Over 4 years, the sites were planted from June 5 to 20 June. Harvests began in mid-July and ended in mid-October. The selected eggplant cultivars all exhibited typical bi-modal bearing throughout the season in growth zones 7 and 8. Individual fruit weights ranged from 2.6 to 13.4 oz per fruit. Fruit length ranged from 2.3 to 10.7 inches. Basic fruit colors were white, red, green, purple, and black with several types having variegation and striping. Yields differed significantly among varieties and ranged from 10,000 to 40,000 pounds per acre over the course of the season with multiple harvests. Marketable yields ranged from 2,750 to 8,750 boxes per acre (30 pound boxes).

The study was tested the technical feasibility of bagging eggplant fruits during production to protect them against Eggplant fruit and shoot borer (EFSB) following randomized complete block with 6 treatments. Highest number of marketable fruits per plant was produced by imported white bag (12.33), which was followed by butter paper bag (10.67). Maximum aborted fruit was obtained from the imported brown bag (23.33%) and HDPE bag (20.00%). The highest average fruit weight (363.33 g) was obtained from fruits bagged with Imported white, while maximum fruit length and fruit diameter was also produced from imported white bag (15.27 cm and 11.23 cm, respectively). Zero percent damage by eggplant fruit and shoot borer was produced by imported brown bag, imported white bag and butter paper bag, while higher infection was observed in open fruit (control) (17.70 %), HDPE bag (11.70 %). Bagging eggplant fruit produced 38.78 to 58.20 t/ha, while open fruit (control) produced only 35.66 t/ha. The highest calculated fruit yield 58.20 tons/ha was estimated from imported white bag and other bagging fruits were local brown bag (46.74 t/ha), HDPE bag (45.00 t/ha), butter paper bag (43.23 t/ha). The bagging of eggplant fruits with imported white bag and butter paper bag were more effective in reducing damage by eggplant fruit and shoot borer than the other bagging treatments and the control. These two treatments produced higher number of consumers preferred fruit, without negative effects on the color of the skin, fresh weight and fruit abortion, thus resulting in higher economic gains.

The cultivation of genetically engineered crops has been expanded rapidly in worldwide in a very short span of time. Bt eggplant is a transgenic eggplant created by inserting a crystal protein gene Cry1Ac from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. Four Bt eggplant varieties - BARI Bt Eggplant-1, BARI Bt Eggplant-2, BARI Bt Eggplant-3 and BARI Bt Eggplant-4 are started to cultivate in Bangladesh in 2014 as first genetically engineered crop in the country. In the present study, ELISA technique was adopted to quantify the Cry1Ac proteins in the fruits of newly released four Bt eggplant varieties. The expression of Cry1Ac was found among the fruits of the varieties varied from 29.53 to 33.99 µg g-1. Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 5(3): 356-360

Eggplant ( Solanum melongena L.) is a widely cultivated and economically important vegetable crop in many countries but is susceptible to many pests and diseases. The development of resistant varieties by conventional methods had limited success due to sexual incompatibility with wild relatives. Eggplant is highly amenable to morphogenesis in general and somatic embryogenesis (SE) in particular. Different factors such as genotype, explant type and position, growth regulators, polyamines and some other factors have been shown to affect SE. Most of the studies have focussed on induction, development and maturation of SE. Molecular aspects of SE have also been studied in eggplant. However, practical application of SE in synthetic seed production, regeneration of transformed cells, protoplast isolation and fusion for somatic hybrid production and isolation of somaclonal variation has lagged due to the non-availability of mass scaling techniques and effective field delivery systems with high conversion frequency.