Eggplant Seedlings Research Articles

Employing Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles as Biostimulant against Salinity: Improving Antioxidative Defense and Reactive Oxygen Species Balancing in Eggplant Seedlings.

Salinity is a major abiotic stress that affects the agricultural sector and poses a significant threat to sustainable crop production. Nanoparticles (NPs) act as biostimulants and significantly mitigate abiotic stress. In this context, this experiment was designed to assess the effects of foliar application of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles at 200 and 400 ppm on the growth of eggplant (Solanum melongena) seedlings under moderate (75 mM) and high (150 mM) salinity stress. The TiO2-NPs employed were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. The seedlings were assessed physiologically, growth-wise, and biochemically. The seedlings were significantly affected by their physiological attributes (Fv'/Fm', Fv/Fm, NPQ), growth (root length, shoot length, number of leaves, fresh biomass, dry biomass, leaf greenness), antioxidative enzymes (SOD, POD, CAT, APx, GR), stress indicators (H2O2, MDA), and toxic ion (Na+) concentrations. The maximum decrease in physiological and growth attributes in eggplant seedling leaves was observed with no TiO2-NP application at 150 mM NaCl. Applying TiO2-NPs at 200 ppm showed significantly less decrease in Fv'/Fm', root length, shoot length, number of leaves, fresh biomass, dry biomass, and leaf greenness. In contrast, there were larger increases in SOD, POD, CAT, APx, GR, and TSP. This led to less accumulation of H2O2, MDA, and Na+. No significant difference was observed in higher concentrations of TiO2-NPs compared to the control. Therefore, TiO2-NPs at 200 ppm might be used to grow eggplant seedlings at moderate and high salinity.

Copper mitigates salinity stress by regulating water status, photosynthetic pigments and ion homeostasis and increases the yield of Eggplant (Solanum melongena)

Eggplant (Solanum melongena) is moderately sensitive to salinity. Seed priming and exogenous supplementation are technique that enhances germination, growth, and crop yield by overcoming salt stress. Therefore, this study was designed to understand the role of seed priming and copper (Cu) supplementation in modulating salt tolerance in eggplant. When exposed to salt stress, eggplant seedlings showed significantly higher Na+ content, an increased Na/K ratio, prolonged mean germination time, higher relative water loss, more days to flower bud initiation and first flowering, along with decreased germination rate, growth factors, water content, photosynthetic pigments, ionic contents (K+, Ca2+, Mg2+), and yield. The results demonstrated that the germination rate, final germination percentage, germination index, germination energy, and seed vigor index significantly improved, while the mean germination time decreased in Cu-primed seeds. The results also revealed that Cu supplementations increased seedling traits, leaf water content, photosynthetic pigment contents, ionic contents (K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+), and yield while decreasing the contents of Na+, and Na/K ratio, mean germination time, relative water loss, days to flower bud initiation, and days to 1st flowering under salt stress. Germination of seeds, seedlings growth traits, plant water status, plant pigments, yield, and ionic contents with the NaCl and Cu treatments were found to substantially interact with each other according to both hierarchical clustering and PCA. Overall, Cu seed priming and exogenous supplementation emerged as a promising strategy to enhance salt tolerance and promote germination, growth, and yield by regulating water status, photosynthetic pigments, and ion homeostasis in eggplant seedlings under NaCl stress. These findings provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of Cu-mediated stress alleviation in eggplant, with implications for sustainable crop production in saline environments.

Effect of Zinc on Germination, Growth Yield of (Solanum melongena L.)

Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is an economically significant crop, valued for its culinary versatility and nutritional content. Understanding the factors that influence its growth is crucial for optimizing agricultural practices and improving yield. Zinc, an essential micronutrient, plays a vital role in various physiological processes within plants, including enzyme activation, photosynthesis, and hormone regulation. This study investigated the effect of zinc supplementation on the growth parameters of eggplant. The experiment was conducted in Botany Lab of Maharishi University of Information Technology, Lucknow in earthen Pots filled with garden soil. Where eggplant seedlings were subjected to different levels of zinc supplementation. Parameters such as plant height, leaf area, root development, and biomass accumulation were measured at regular intervals over the growth period. Results indicated a significant positive correlation between zinc concentration and various growth parameters of eggplant. Seedlings treated with higher zinc concentrations, enhanced leaf expansion, and more extensive root systems compared to those with lower or no zinc supplementation. Furthermore, zinc-treated eggplants displayed improved resistance to certain environmental stressors, suggesting a potential role of zinc in enhancing plant resilience. These findings underscore the importance of adequate zinc supply in promoting the growth and development of eggplant crops, thereby contributing to higher yields and improved agricultural sustainability. Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of zinc-mediated growth enhancement in eggplant and optimize zinc application strategies for maximum benefit.

Efficacy of Vermicast from Local Earthworms as Growing Media of Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.)

The study aimed to determine the effectiveness of vermicast from local earthworms as a growing medium for eggplant, with the goal of exploring the potential of organic fertilizers in boosting vegetable yields and promoting sustainable agriculture practices. It investigated the efficacy of vermicast derived from local earthworms in enhancing seed germination and seedling growth of eggplant using a randomized complete block design with four treatments and three replications. The experiment compared garden soil, vermicast, carbonized rice hull, and combinations of these growing media, evaluating germination percentage, seedling height, number of leaves, and leaf area. Results showed significant differences among treatments, with vermicast and carbonized rice hull exhibiting superior performance compared with garden soil. Carbonized rice hull showed the highest germination percentage in the second and third weeks, while vermicast from local earthworms led to the tallest seedlings and highest leaf area in subsequent weeks, suggesting its preference for cultivating eggplant seedlings. The study highlights the potential of vermicast from local earthworms as a sustainable and effective organic soil amendment for enhancing eggplant growth.

Effect of Phosphorus Application on Subcellular Distribution and Chemical Morphology of Cadmium in Eggplant Seedlings under Cadmium Stress

Soil cadmium (Cd) contamination poses a serious threat to ecosystems, and the application of phosphorus fertilizers can reduce Cd toxicity. However, the specific effects of different phosphorus fertilizers on the subcellular distribution and chemical morphology of Cd in eggplant grown in calcareous Cd-contaminated soil remain unclear. This study examined the impact of various types and levels of phosphate fertilizers on the subcellular distribution and chemical morphology of cadmium in eggplant seedlings using a two-factor analysis. The investigation was conducted via a pot experiment utilizing a two-factor analysis. The application of 0.35 g kg−1 dicalcium phosphate significantly decreased the Cd content in the subcellular distribution and induced notable alterations in the chemical morphology of Cd in eggplant roots. Specifically, the ethanol-extracted Cd state decreased by 65.45%, and the sodium chloride-extracted Cd state decreased by 64.65%. Conversely, Cd extracted by deionized water, acetic acid, hydrochloric acid, and the residue state increased by 6.20%, 4.01%, 20.87%, and 17.85%, respectively. The application of 0.35 g kg−1 dicalcium phosphate resulted in the most significant reduction in Cd content in eggplant and modification of subcellular Cd distribution and chemical morphology in roots.

Development of eggplant seedlings under different doses of biostimulant derived from Ascophyllum nodosum

Development of eggplant seedlings under different doses of biostimulant derived from Ascophyllum nodosum

Identification of Quantitative Trait Loci and Candidate Genes Controlling Seed Dormancy in Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.).

Seed dormancy is a life adaptation trait exhibited by plants in response to environmental changes during their growth and development. The dormancy of commercial seeds is the key factor affecting seed quality. Eggplant seed dormancy is controlled by quantitative trait loci (QTLs), but reliable QTLs related to eggplant dormancy are still lacking. In this study, F2 populations obtained through the hybridization of paternally inbred lines with significant differences in dormancy were used to detect regulatory sites of dormancy in eggplant seeds. Three QTLs (dr1.1, dr2.1, and dr6.1) related to seed dormancy were detected on three chromosomes of eggplant using the QTL-Seq technique. By combining nonsynonymous sites within the candidate regions and gene functional annotation analysis, nine candidate genes were selected from three QTL candidate regions. According to the germination results on the eighth day, the male parent was not dormant, but the female parent was dormant. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to verify the expression of nine candidate genes, and the Smechr0201082 gene showed roughly the same trend as that in the phenotypic data. We proposed Smechr0201082 as the potential key gene involved in regulating the dormancy of eggplant seeds. The results of seed experiments with different concentrations of gibberellin A3 (GA3) showed that, within a certain range, the higher the gibberellin concentration, the earlier the emergence and the higher the germination rate. However, higher concentrations of GA3 may have potential effects on eggplant seedlings. We suggest the use of GA3 at a concentration of 200-250 mg·L-1 to treat dormant seeds. This study provides a foundation for the further exploration of genes related to the regulation of seed dormancy and the elucidation of the molecular mechanism of eggplant seed dormancy and germination.

Exogenous application of salicylic acid induces salinity tolerance in eggplant seedlings.

Under salt stress conditions, plant growth is reduced due to osmotic, nutritional and oxidative imbalance. However, salicylic acid acts in the mitigation of this abiotic stress by promoting an increase in growth, photosynthesis, nitrogen metabolism, synthesis of osmoregulators and antioxidant enzymes. In this context, the objective was to evaluate the effect of salicylic acid doses on the growth and physiological changes of eggplant seedlings under salt stress. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse, where the treatments were distributed in randomized blocks using a central composite matrix Box with five levels of electrical conductivity of irrigation water (CEw) (0.50; 1.08; 2.50; 3.92 and 4.50 dS m-1), associated with five doses of salicylic acid (SA) (0.00; 0.22; 0.75; 1.28 and 1.50 mM), with four repetitions and each plot composed of three plants. At 40 days after sowing, plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, leaf area, electrolyte leakage, relative water content, and total dry mass were determined. ECw and SA application influenced the growth and physiological changes of eggplant seedlings. Increasing the ECw reduced growth in the absence of SA. Membrane damage with the use of SA remained stable up to 3.9 dS m-1 of ECw. The relative water content independent of the CEw increased with 1.0 mM of SA. The use of SA at the concentration of 1.0 mM mitigated the deleterious effect of salinity on seedling growth up to 2.50 dS m-1 of ECw.

Isolation and Molecular Diagnosis of Enterobacter cloacae and Kineococcus radiotolerans from Red Clover nodules and evaluation of the prepared inoculum from them as a stimulator for plant growth

To obtain biological inoculum that promotes plant growth and contributes to a clean environment and sustainable agriculture, twentyone samples were collected from the root nodes of the red clover plant (Trifolium paratens) grown in gypsiferous soils at the Research Station of the Department of Soil Sciences and Water Resources - Faculty of Agriculture - University of Tikrit, samples were cultured in the medium of YEMA. Two isolates belonging to Enterobacter cloacae and Kineococcus radiotolerans were diagnosed phenotypically and molecularly. The diagnosis was confirmed by analyzing the nitrogen bases sequence of the DNA of the 16S rRNA gene. It was recorded in the National Center Biotechnology Information(NCBI) with the numbers MN310027.1 and KT216573.1 respectively, these isolates were activated and tested their efficiency as a bio-stimulant by testing their ability to dissolve insoluble phosphate compounds and produce indole acetic acid and chelating compounds, the results showed the ability of all isolates to produce indole acetic acid (IAA), chelating compounds, and solubility of phosphates, E. cloacae isolate outperformed K. radiotolerans isolates in these parameters, as it gave E. coloaca solubilization of phosphate and IAA production of 40.3 mg p L-1 and 11.2 µg ml-1 respectively, and it showed a high output of the chelating compounds compared to the treatment inoculated with K. radiotolerans, which gave 27.20 mg p L-1 and 7.21 µg ml-1, and medium production of iron chelating compounds, the results also showed the superiority of the inoculated treatments over the uninoculated treatments in the percentage of germination, the speed of germination, the length of tomato seedlings, the dry weight of the Shoot and root parts and the number of leaves, and the results showed the superiority of the inoculated treatment with E. cloacae significantly on K. radiotolerans isolate. Keywords: Enterobacter cloacae; Kineococcus radiotolerans; Molecular Diagnosis; Bacterial inoculation; Eggplant seedlings.

Alleviation of salt toxicity by melatonin supplementation in eggplant involves the up-regulation of ascorbate–glutathione and glyoxalase system

Eggplant is considered an important vegetable to evaluate the abiotic stress responses, especially salt stress, that compromise the growth as well as development of plants. Melatonin (MT) has recently surfaced as an emerging stress-alleviating molecule that can relief salinity-triggered toxicity in plants. Nonetheless, the probable mechanism involved in functioning of MT under saline stress has not yet been demonstrated to full extent in plants. Hence, we experimented to get insight into the crucial mechanisms involved in MT-triggered saline stress tolerance using eggplant. Biomass production and growth traits are substantially reduced under saline stress due to impairment of photosynthesis, hindering photosystem function, and accumulation of secondary metabolites. In contrast, application of MT remarkably enhanced the growth attributes, improved photosynthetic efficiency, maximum PSII efficacy (Fv/Fm), gas exchange parameters, elevated uptake of Potassium (K+) and reduced accumulation of Sodium (Na+) ion. Furthermore, MT efficiency recovered integrity of the cell [reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) and relative electrolyte leakage (REL)] through inducing the activities of antioxidant enzymes and regulating AsA-GSH pool, tightened the production of superoxide radical (O2•−) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). In particular, MT treatment increased Gly 1 enzyme activity and reduced MG enzyme activity in the leaves of eggplant seedling. In addition, proline, soluble sugar, and protein contents in eggplant leaves are enhanced as a result of MT treatment. We conclude that our research findings define the important role of MT in mitigating the toxicity triggered in eggplants due to salinity by improving photosynthesis, redox balance, and uptake of nutrients, secondary metabolism and hence increased biomass synthesis.

Potential of Trichoderma virens HZA14 in Controlling Verticillium Wilt Disease of Eggplant and Analysis of Its Genes Responsible for Microsclerotial Degradation.

Verticillium dahliae is a soilborne fungal pathogen that causes vascular wilt diseases in a wide range of economically important crops, including eggplant. Trichoderma spp. are effective biological control agents that suppress a wide range of plant pathogens through a variety of mechanisms, including mycoparasitism. However, the molecular mechanisms of mycoparasitism of Trichoderma spp. in the degradation of microsclerotia of V. dahliae are not yet fully understood. In this study, the ability of 15 isolates of Trichoderma to degrade microsclerotia of V. dahliae was evaluated using a dual culture method. After 15 days, isolate HZA14 showed the greatest potential for microsclerotial degradation. The culture filtrate of isolate HZA14 also significantly inhibited the mycelial growth and conidia germination of V. dahliae at different dilutions. Moreover, this study showed that T. virens produced siderophores and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). In disease control tests, T. virens HZA14 reduced disease severity in eggplant seedlings by up to 2.77%, resulting in a control efficacy of 96.59% at 30 days after inoculation. Additionally, inoculation with an HZA14 isolate increased stem and root length and fresh and dry weight, demonstrating plant growth promotion efficacy. To further investigate the mycoparasitism mechanism of T. virens HZA14, transcriptomics sequencing and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) were used to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of T. virens HZA14 at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 days of the interaction with microsclerotia of V. dahliae. In contrast to the control group, the mycoparasitic process of T. virens HZA14 exhibited differential gene expression, with 1197, 1758, 1936, and 1914 genes being up-regulated and 1191, 1963, 2050, and 2114 genes being down-regulated, respectively. Among these genes, enzymes associated with the degradation of microsclerotia, such as endochitinase A1, endochitinase 3, endo-1,3-beta-glucanase, alpha-N-acetylglucosaminidase, laccase-1, and peroxidase were predicted based on bioinformatics analysis. The RT-qPCR results confirmed the RNA-sequencing data, showing that the expression trend of the genes was consistent. These results provide important information for understanding molecular mechanisms of microsclerotial degradation and integrated management of Verticillium wilt in eggplant and other crops.

The Effects of Organic Fertilization on The Quality of Eggplant Seedlings

This study investigated the effects of chemical fertilizer (20-20-20) and two different organic fertilizers (compost and wood ash) applications on eggplant seedling quality. Peat was used as the growing medium. Some seedling quality parameters such as stem diameter, seedling height, number of leaves, leaf chlorophyll content, leaf area, root length and total seedling dry weight were investigated. In general, although applying chemical fertilizer is the best value in the seedling quality parameters, it was determined that statistically (P

Biological control of the fungi causing root rot disease of Eggplant plants

The study aimed to identify some causes of eggplant root rot disease after isolation and diagnosis in some areas of Babylon Governorate and to evaluate the efficiency of the biological fungus Trichoderma harzianum and extract of some plants in control the pathogens of eggplant seedling death disease. The results of the field survey conducted in the fields of eggplant plants in the province of Babylon showed the presence of root rot in the eggplant in all areas covered by the field survey. Several types of fungi were isolated and identified from the roots of eggplant plants infected with root rot disease. The most frequent pathogenic fungi were Fusarium solani, Rhizoctonia solani, and Macrophomina phaseolina. The results showed that all tested fungi isolates were pathogenic and caused a significant reduction in the percentage of germination of cabbage and eggplant seeds. The results of the pot experiment showed that all the treatments that included the biological factor and aqueous Acacia extract had a significant effect in reducing the growth of pathogenic fungi, especially when the treatments were combined, as measured by the percentage of infection and the severity of infection in the treatment of pathogenic fungi F. solani, R. solani and M. phaseolina, Alone, the infection rate was 100.00%, and the severity of the infection was 76.67, 70.00 and 66.67%, respectively. The treatment of integration between the biological factor T. harzianum and the aqueous extract of Acacia achieved high superiority in reducing the infection rate, as it ranged between 11.11-24.33% and the severity of infection 4.44-15.00%. Keywords: Plant extracts, Eggplant, fungi, root rot, Trichoderma harzianum.

Vegetable Seedlings Production Under Seed Magnetization and Use of Magnetized Water

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of seed magnetization (SM) and irrigation water (WI), using commercial (CO) and Neodymium (NEO) magnetizers, on the development of seedlings of lettuce, eggplant, cucumber, sweet pepper and okra. Method: The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design, with 5 treatments for each species, with 4 replications, being T1: irrigation with non-magnetized water; T2: SM-NEO + non-magnetized water; T3: SM-CO + non-magnetized water; T4: non-magnetized seeds + WI-NEO; and T5: non-magnetized seeds + WI-CO. The following were evaluated: emergence speed, emergence time, percentage of emergence, dry matter, root length, stem diameter, number of leaves and plant height. Result and conclusion: For lettuce, WI-NEO showed the best results and, for sweet pepper, SM-CO, irrigating with non-magnetized water. For cucumber, SM or WI provided a reduction in seedling formation time. For eggplant and okra, we recommended SM-NEO and irrigated with non-magnetized water. In general, seed magnetization caused better results than irrigation water magnetization. Implications of research: Quality seedlings produced in short time and at low cost are of great importance for the formation of vegetable crops. Originality/value: Seed magnetization and the use of magnetized water are innovative, low-cost technologies for producing seedlings of high vigor and quality.

Application of Rhizopus microsporus and Aspergillus oryzae to enhance the defense capacity of eggplant seedlings against Meloidogyne incognita

Several phytopathogens attack eggplant, causing crop damage. One of the most destructive plant diseases, Root-Knot Nematode (RKN), causes significant damage to eggplant seedlings. Finding safe and effective biological alternatives to prevent eggplant root nematode disease, which significantly limits plant productivity, is the innovative aspect of this study. Six isolates of plant growth-promoting fungus (PGPF) were tested in the current work for improving biochemical defense and physio-biochemical performance in eggplant seedlings under the Meloidogyne incognita challenge. PGPF isolates were tested in vitro for some biochemical traits such as Siderophores and HCN production. Besides, the antagonistic efficacy of PGPF filtrates against M. incognita was tested in vitro. The best isolates capable of producing HCN were F5 and F3 respectively. Also, F5 followed by F3 exhibited the maximum mortality proportions of 74.20% and 60.35% mortality in nematode juveniles after 96 hours respectively. Moreover, F5 has the highest level of antioxidant activity, with IC50 145 µg/mL followed by F3 with IC50 350 µg/mL. thus, we identified F5 and F3 completely as Rhizopus microsporus (OQ291571.1 and Aspergillus oryzae OQ291572.1. Implementing R. microsporus and A. oryzae collectively in vivo study was the most successful therapy, limiting nematode recordings as 95.23%, 86.98%, 80.35%, 80%, and 68.78% reduction in females, galls, developmental stage, egg masses, second juveniles, respectively, in diseased seedlings. It could be suggested that the use of ethyl acetate extracts (EAE) of A. oryzae and R. microsporus might be commercially applied as a stimulator of eggplant and or anti-nematodes against M. incognita.

Integrated miRNA and mRNA Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Eggplant’s (Solanum melongena L.) Responses to Waterlogging Stress

Waterlogging stress poses a significant threat to eggplants (Solanum melongena L.), causing root oxygen deficiency and subsequent plant damage. This study aims to explore the morphological changes and chlorophyll and lignin indicators of eggplant seedlings under different time points (0, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48 h) of waterlogging stress. High-throughput sequencing was used to identify differentially expressed miRNAs and mRNAs in response to waterlogging stress in eggplants. The results showed that the content of chlorophyll a significantly decreased during the early stage of waterlogging stress, while the degradation of chlorophyll b intensified with prolonged stress, and carotenoid content remained relatively stable. Additionally, this study investigated changes in root lignin, indicating its role in enhancing cell wall stability and tolerance to cope with hypoxic stress. Using DESeq2, 246 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified, among which significant changes were observed in the miR156, miR166, miR167, and miR399 families. These miRNAs may play a crucial regulatory role in eggplant’s adaptation to the hypoxic environment after waterlogging stress. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses revealed that differentially expressed genes were mainly related to cellular physiological processes, metabolic processes, and the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, influencing the seedlings’ stress resistance under different waterlogging conditions. Furthermore, by constructing a regulatory miRNA–target gene network that pertains to eggplant’s response to waterlogging stress, we have laid the foundation for revealing the molecular mechanisms of eggplant’s response to waterlogging stress.

Responses of Eggplant Seedlings to Combined Effects of Drought and Salinity Stress: Effects on Photosynthetic Pigments and Enzymatic and Non-Enzymatic Antioxidants

Responses of Eggplant Seedlings to Combined Effects of Drought and Salinity Stress: Effects on Photosynthetic Pigments and Enzymatic and Non-Enzymatic Antioxidants

Self-Assembled Nanonematicide Induces Adverse Effects on Oxidative Stress, Succinate Dehydrogenase Activity, and ATP Generation.

Long-term overuse of chemical nematicides has resulted in low control efficacy toward destructive root-knot nematodes, and continuous development in nanotechnology is supposed to enhance the utilization efficiency of nematicides to meet practical needs. Herein, a cationic star polymer (SPc) was constructed to load fluopyram (flu) and prepare a flu nanoagent. Hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces facilitated the self-assembly of the flu nanoagent, leading to the breakdown of self-aggregated flu and reducing its particle size to 60 nm. The bioactivity of flu was remarkably improved, with the half lethal concentration 50 from 8.63 to 5.70 mg/L due to the help of SPc. Transcriptome analysis found that a large number of transport-related genes were upregulated in flu nanoagent-exposed nematodes, while the expression of many energy-related genes was disturbed, suggesting that the enhanced uptake of flu nanoagents by nematodes might lead to the disturbance of energy synthesis and metabolism. Subsequent experiments confirmed that exposure to flu nanoagents markedly increased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level of nematodes. Compared to flu treatment alone, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity was inhibited in flu nanoagent-exposed nematodes with an increase in the pIC50 from 8.81 to 11.04, which further interfered with adenosine triphosphate (ATP) biosynthesis. Furthermore, the persistence of SPc-loaded flu in soil was prolonged by 2.33 times at 50 days after application. The protective effects of flu nanoagents on eggplant seedlings were significantly improved in both greenhouse and field trials, and the root-knot number was consistently smaller in roots treated with flu nanoagents than in those treated with flu alone. Overall, this study successfully constructed a self-assembled flu nanoagent with amplified effects on oxidative stress, SDH activity, and ATP generation, leading to highly effective control of root-knot nematodes in the field.

Efficacy of moringa (Moringa oleifera) formulations on suppression of root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne javanica) and growth of eggplant (Solanum melongena)

Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is one of the premier vegetables and is widely cultivated. One of the most important reasons for reduced yield of eggplant is root-knot (Meloidogyne species) nematode. So, it is important to control this pest; therefore, an investigation was conducted in 2022 at the Aquaculture Research Unit lab to evaluate the effectiveness of moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.) application in controlling root-knot nematode in eggplant. During this study, Meloidogyne javanica (Treub) was identified from the rhizosphere soil samples. Fresh leaf extracts of moringa, including positive control (fenamiphos), were investigated in vivo for efficacy against M. javanica in root and soil. Seedlings of eggplant were inoculated with 3000 eggs and second-stage juveniles (J2) of M. javanica in pot trials, with treatments comprising fresh leaf extracts of moringa (M. oleifera) in a series of concentrations. Fifty-six days after inoculation, the Phyto nematicide had reduced eggs and J2 in soil by 62-89%, gall number by 58-87%, and gall index by 35-87%. The best treatment was moringa (80 ppm) which was significantly superior to moringa (40 ppm) and moringa (60 ppm) (P less than 0.05). However, fenamiphos had no significant difference (P greater than 0.05). The results showed that moringa (80 ppm) was the best treatment for controlling root-knot nematode in eggplant.

Comparative efficacy of some botanical insecticides in the control of eggplant fruit and shoot borer (leucinodes orbonalis guenee)

An Experiment was conducted from December, 2021 to April, 2022 in an open field of the Teaching and Research Farm of Akwa Ibom State University, Obio Akpa Campused to evaluate the efficacy of botanical insecticides in the control of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) fruit and shoot borer (EFSB) Leucinodes orbonalis Guenne), Four week-old eggplant seedlings (ARJANI FI) were transplanted to bags filled with 30kg top soil, each. There were nine insecticide treatments (T0 = Control (No insecticide), T1 = Scent leaf extract (SLE 10% w/v), T2 = Pawpaw leaf extract (PLE 10% w/v), T3 = Neem leaf extract (NLE 5% w/v), T4 = Neem oil (N.O 3% v/v), T5 = Neem oil (N.O 5% v/v), T6 = Garlic bulb extract (GBE 3% v/v), T7 = Emamectin Benzoate (EB 1.33g/L) and T8 = Neemsol (0.2% v/v). Plants were sprayed three times: four weeks after transplanting (4WAT), 6WAT and 8WAT. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design. Data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance and means compared at 5% probability level using Student-Newman-Keuls Test. The results obtained showed that the insecticide treated plants significantly (P< 0.05) had lower percentage of fruit and shoot infestation by EFSB relative to the untreated plants. The unsprayed plant significantly (P< 0.05) had the highest percentage of Fruit infestation by both number and weight basis. Fruits from the untreated plants had significantly (P< 0.05) more number of bored holes and larvae than the insecticide treated plants. Among the insecticide treatments, EB and N.O 5% had plants with significantly lower shoot infestation (10.42 and 12.50%), fruit infestation by weight (17.07 and 25.60%), number of larvae/fruit (0.33 and 1.00), respectively. The botanicals tested in this work could be incorporated into integrated pest management programme of eggplant fruit and shoot borer. Therefore, Emamectin Benzoate was observed to be the best and hence recommended treatment based on parameters measured.