Effect of Agronomic Factors on Seed Yield and Quality in Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)

Abstract

A study was conducted at AAU (Anand Agricultural University), Anand during 2022-24 aimed to standardize sowing time, days to fruit maturity, seed extraction methods and seed yield of brinjal variety Anand Raj. The research included 48 treatment combinations with three sowing dates (1st week of August, September, and October), four fruit maturity periods in 10 days intervals (60-100 days after fruit formation), and four seed extraction methods (manual, 48-hour fermentation, and acid extraction with HCl and H2SO4). The third sowing date (1st week of October) showed the best results in terms of fruit and seed yield parameters, such as highest fruit weight, fruit length, fruit girth, plant height, number of fruits per plant, seeds per fruit, seed yield per fruit, seed yield per plant and Thousand-seed weight. Fruits matured at 81-90 days after formation and the manual seed extraction method were found to be most effective for achieving higher seed yield and quality. Thus, sowing in the first week of October with 81-90 days to fruit maturity and using the manual seed extraction method is recommended for optimal seed yield and quality in brinjal variety Anand Raj.