SURAFY Eggplant handbook A guide to cultivating Eggplant – Version 001

This handbook is a collection of information and data on Eggplant. It is not for sale under any

circumstances and cannot be used to for individual profit. SURAFY will not take any responsibility for the

information contained in this document and asks all its beneficiaries for feedback. If you wish to support

our cause please make contact with surafy@gmail.com

Eggplant – Boulanger Contents Discailmer ............................................................................................................................................... 1

Abreviations ............................................................................................................................................ 2

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 2

Names: .................................................................................................................................................... 2

Plant Family - Genus ................................................................................................................................ 2

Cultivation ............................................................................................................................................... 3

Data Sheets ......................................................................................................................................... 3

Crop Management ............................................................................................................................... 4

Soil .................................................................................................................................................. 4

Chemical Fertilizer needs and sidedress: .......................................................................................... 4

Sowing eggplant .............................................................................................................................. 5

Transplanting ................................................................................................................................... 6

Crop Rotation .................................................................................................................................. 6

Inter-cropping.................................................................................................................................. 6

Pollination - Hand pollination ........................................................................................................... 6

Harvesting ....................................................................................................................................... 7

Storing Eggplant .............................................................................................................................. 7

Classification ......................................................................................................................................... 11

UNECE STANDARD FFV-05 ................................................................................................................. 11

Definition of Produce ..................................................................................................................... 11

Minimum requirements for marketability ...................................................................................... 11

Classification .................................................................................................................................. 12

Provisions concerning sizing ........................................................................................................... 12

Provisions concerning tolerances ................................................................................................... 13

Provisions concerning presentation ............................................................................................... 13

Provisions concerning marking....................................................................................................... 13

Example of different classifications and their meaning ................................................................... 14

Latin American – Classification........................................................................................................... 14

Definition of Produce ..................................................................................................................... 15

Minimum requirements for marketability and definitions .............................................................. 15

Classification .................................................................................................................................. 15

Types ............................................................................................................................................. 15

Packaging ...................................................................................................................................... 15

Package Marking ........................................................................................................................... 16

Ways of classification of fruits and vegetables ................................................................................... 16

Foto’s ................................................................................................................................................ 16

References ........................................................................................................................................ 17

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Discailmer Whilst the SURAFY Eggplant Handbook provides information on cultivating Eggplant and SURAFY makes

every effort to ensure the quality and accuracy of this information, please be fully aware that the

information provided in this handbook appears in summarized form only and as such is not to be

considered complete, exhaustive or authoritative.

The information provided, should not be used as a substitute for professional guidance (whether from a

counsellor or any other agricultural professional) or to replace any ongoing practices and should not be

used for diagnosis, Eggplant cultivation practices can only be diagnosed by an agronomist. The SURAFY

Eggplant Handbook, and information contained within, does not represent a cultivation program in

itself and is certainly not to be considered instruction of any kind. If you have any agricultural related

questions please raise them with your extension officer or other agricultural professional.

The Suriname Agricultural Forum for Youth provides no warranty as to the SURAFY

Eggplant Handbook information's completeness, reliability or accuracy or to how current

and up to date the supplied information may be.

You use the SURAFY Eggplant Handbook and its content entirely at your own risk.

External Links

The SURAFY Eggplant Handbook provides links to other sites, documents and the sources of

its contained information. The inclusion of a link does not represent an endorsement by the

Suriname Agricultural Forum for Youth nor can the Suriname Agricultural Forum for

Youth be held responsible or liable for the content therein.

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Abreviations EFSB Eggplant fruit and shoot borer

IPM Integrated Pest Management

S. Solanum

Introduction Eggplant (Solanum melongena) is a species of nightshade commonly known in British English as aubergine and also known as melongene, garden egg, or guinea squash. It is known in South Asia as brinjal. It bears a fruit of the same name (commonly either "eggplant" in American and Australian English or "aubergine" in British English) that is widely used in cooking, most notably as an important ingredient in dishes such as moussaka and ratatouille. As a member of the genus Solanum, it is related to both the tomato and the potato. It was originally domesticated in India and Bangladesh from the wild nightshade, the thorn or bitter apple, S. incanum.

Names: Eggplant, Apple-of-love, Asiatic aubergine, Aubergine, Baby eggplant, Brinjal, Garden egg, Guinea squash, Gully bean, Italian eggplant, Japanese eggplant, Melanzana, Melongene, Oriental eggplant, Patlıcan, Pea apple, Pea aubergine, Poor-man's-caviar, Susumber, Terong, White eggplant

Plant Family - Genus Kingdom: Plantae – Plants Subkingdom: Tracheobionta - Vascular plants Superdivision: Spermatophyta - Seed plants Division: Magnoliophyta -Flowering plants Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons Order: Solanales Family: Solanaceae - Potato family Genus: Solanum L. - nightshade P Species: Solanum melongena L. - Aubergine, eggplant.

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Cultivation

Data Sheets

Technical Characteristics

IPM

Growth Length 40 cm 150 cm

conserves moisture and prevent weeds and fungal diseases

Mulching

Leaf size (length) 10 cm 20 cm

Crop management

Leaf size (width) 5 cm 10 cm

Flower structure both male and female

Flower (colour) White Purple

Self-pollination Allowed

Fruit size (length) 12 cm 25 cm

Cross pollination Allowed

Fruit size (width) 6 cm 9 cm

Pollination Hand pollination for first blossoms

Plant Spacing 45 cm 60 cm

Seed start timing 1 month before transplanting

In-row spacing 60 cm 90 cm

Days to mature from seed 100 days

150 days

Environmental Preferances

Days to mature from transplant 70

days 78

days

Ideal temparature 210C 300C

Approximate yields 10kg p/ 3m row

Ideal Humidity 80%

Amount to Raise 5kg p/ persoon

pH level 6 cm 7 cm

Pests and diseases

Soil Well-drained, high in organic matter

Same diseases: Tomato, pepper

and potato

Tollerance to draugh and drenching Good

Successive crop separation: 4 years

Required soil Fertility Rich

Pests: potato beetles, flea beetles, aphids, and spider mites

Required soil Moisture Average

Fungal diseases: Verticillium

Growth inhibition temp. < 140C Accalerated fruit ripening < 320C Prevents polenization, full

fertilization and results in defective fruit (long periods) > 320C

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Crop Management

Soil

Eggplant can be grown in sandy to very clayey soils. Best results however are obtained in soils with a medium texture, deep, rich in organic matter good moisture retention and well drained. Eggplant does not tolerate waterlogging. Before preparing the soil samples should be taken from both the top soil layer (0 – 20 cm) and the subsurface layer (20 – 40 cm) which is essential for the proper fertilization application. Soil preparation usually consists of one to two plow passes and two disc passes. Plowing should reach a depth of 30cm followed by a harrow to level the soil. Next limestone should be applied evenly by hand followed by a second plowing to homogenously incorporate the limestone in the top soil layer (0 – 20 cm). Liming should be done 60 to 90 days before transplanting for dolomitic limestone (dolomitische kalksteen) while 15 days for calcined limestone (gecalcineerde kalksteen) and soil should be kept humid. The amount of limestone to be applied depends on the results of your soil analyses. There are two

methods for calculating how much limestone should be applied to maintain a soil pH of 5.0 to 6.5 with a

70% degree of base saturation:

Mton/ha-1 =

(V1 – V2)T

CLP

1) Mton/ha-1 = Metric tons of limestone per hectare

2) V1 = actual degree of base saturation (soil analyses) = [(Ca2+

+ Mg2+

+ K+) x 100]/T

3) V2 = 70% (desired degree of base saturation)

4) T = Cation exchange capacity at pH 7.0 per dm3 CEMOLC/dm3 = [Ca2+

+ Mg2+

+ K+ + (H + Al)]

(Calculating CEMOLC/dm3 based on soil analyses)

5) CLP = Corrected Lime Potential

The cultivation of Eggplant should be done in grooves or pits. Grooves need to be 20cm deep and 0.7 to

1.0 meter wide while the beds should have a width of 1.2 to 1.5 meters. The larger spacing should be

applied when using hybrid cultivars, which are more vigorous or when you want to prolong the harvest

period.

Chemical Fertilizer needs and sidedress:

There are two methods for deciding on how to fertilize eggplant. The first is for small scale farming where the added costs of soil analyses can be a burden and the latter is for a larger scaled approach where the added preparation costs can lower the overall production costs.

1) Eggplant is a very tender annual. And a heavy feeder use 15 milliliter of ammonium nitrate 33-0-0 per 3 meter row. Before planting, broadcast (1.5kg). 10-10-10 per 30m². Use a starter solution on transplants. Use O.5 kg 10-10-10 per 30m² - 3 to 4 weeks after planting and repeat in one month if needed. When fruits are swelling, apply a high potash tomato fertilizer.

2) Fertilization for Eggplant should be done using the fertilization chart based on the results gained through a soil analyses. The complete dosage of P (100%) and a portion of the K and N (40%)

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should be applied before transplanting. De remaining dosage should be applied during the entire cultivation period at 10% every 15 days. In addition 20 to 40 Mton/ha of cattle manure or 5 to 10 Mton/ha of chicken manure should be applied and well incorporated in the pits or groves where the rows shall be placed 10 to 15 days before transplanting. Use the larger amounts for sandy soils.

Fertilization chart recommendations for a production of 25 to 70 Mton/ha

Phosphorus Potassium Nitrogen

P present in soil (Mehlich-1_ (mg dm3) P2O5

dosage (kg/ha)

K in soil (mg/dm3)

K2O dosage (kg/ha)

N dosage(kg/ha)

Low

200 < 50 160 100 Clay Medium texture

Sandy soil

< 32 < 48 < 80

Medium

160 51 - 90 120 100 Clay Medium texture

Sandy soil

32 - 47 48 - 79 80 - 119

Good

120 91 - 140 80 100 Clay Medium texture

Sandy soil

48 - 72 80 - 120 120 - 180

Very Good

80 > 140 50 100 Clay Medium texture

Sandy soil

> 72 > 120 > 180

It is not always easy to find fertilizers that can easily fulfill the required fertilizer needs of a soil. For that reason it is recommended to use a fertilizer calculator to calculate how much based on the availability of fertilizer mixtures (Ex. 10-10-10, 30-0-0, etc.) near you. http://soiltesting.tamu.edu/calc2/AgNcalc.htm

Sowing eggplant

When growing your eggplant from seed, give your eggplant a head start by planting your eggplant seeds in a controlled environment about 4 weeks prior to transplanting. Eggplant seeds are fairly small so try not to plant your eggplant seeds more than six millimeters deep. Under optimal conditions, your eggplant seeds should germinate in as little as 7 days. Do not permit seedlings or young plants to suffer from low temperature or drought.

Eggplant seeds will germinate well for the better part of four years or more when stored properly in

a cool, dry location.

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Transplanting

Plants should be grown for eight to ten weeks in 5cm or larger pots before setting them out. During this period plants should not be in direct sun light and should as they grow be gradually exposed to direct sunlight in the morning and evening so they can harden and get ready for transplanting. Also during this perio less water should be given to the young plant so branches can get woody and the plant can strengthen itself in general. Once you are ready to move your eggplant to the outdoors, make sure you choose a sunny location (full sun works best) where the soil has a pH level of 5.5 to 7.0 (acidic to neutral). Space out your eggplant 45 centimeters and 60 centimeters between rows. The soil where the transplants will be put and the soil in the seed tray or pots should be sufficiently moist to avoid root damage. Place transplants in the soil slightly deeper than they were in their pot. Avoid placing transplants such that the part where the stem meets the root is buried. Cold soil will shock the plant and set it back several weeks. Press the soil around the plant slight to increase the contact between the soil and root system. Aubergines are suitable for growing in large containers or tubs. Container growing will help prevent soil borne disease.

Crop Rotation

When rotating, eggplant will do well following beans or peas.

Inter-cropping

In companion planting, eggplant fairs well with beans, peas, and peppers, but not so well with fennel.

Pollination - Hand pollination

The flowers are relatively unattractive to bees and the first blossoms often do not set fruit. Hand pollination will improve the set of the first blossoms. Flowers are complete, containing both female and male structures, and may be self-pollinated or cross-pollinated. When pollination is needed on a large scale, such as for field crops, orchards, or commercial seed production, honeybees or other pollinators are cultured and provided for pollination management. Hand-pollination is an option only on a small scale, but is a common technique by gardeners that transfer pollen with an artist brush or cotton swab. The flowers on these plants can stay open for several days, so it's not a bad idea to repeat the process every day or so. You will know the process has worked if the flower closes but doesn't fall off the plant.

Sometimes the corolla is removed from male flowers and the flower itself is brushed against the stigmas of female flowers. Keep in mind though, that every "perfect" flower is female, so it can produce fruit. Every flower you pull off for pollinating is a fruit you can't harvest.

A potential cause of your eggplant failing to produce fruit is stress from lack of water. Has it been very hot and dry there? Are you watering adequately? Also, if it is very humid the pollen may stick and avoid falling down onto the pistil to pollinate the flower.

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Harvesting

Eggplant can be cultivated for 12 months and harvesting should take place 2 times per week.

Also, as an eggplant fruit matures, the seeds become more noticeable. So an eggplant picked when very mature to over-mature might appear "seedier" than others picked when less mature, even those from the same plant. Pick eggplant fruits when full size is reached but while the exterior is still a glossy purple.

Once the exterior becomes dull purple, the eggplant fruit is over-mature. Depending on the size of fruit you wish to harvest, pinch out terminal growth and blossoms to allow up to 6 fruits to mature or allow all fruits to set and harvest when small. Male eggplants tend to have fewer seeds, and are therefore less bitter than female eggplants. To sex an eggplant, look at the indentation at the bottom. If it's deep and shaped like a dash, it's a female. If it's shallow and round, it's a male. Smaller eggplants also tend to be less bitter. Freshness is important, so don't store them for very long.

The ideal time to harvest fruits and vegetables is late in the afternoon, sorting them and packing them at dusk and carrying them at night and / or at dawn, offering fresh produce before sunrise. Avoid dewy mornings and rainy days. Harvested product should be placed immediately in the shade or be transported to the "packing house" shed or hanger. Use buckets, baskets or protected bagst (with false bottom. Always disinfect the materials used to harvest using a solution of sodium hypochlorite (bleach) in a concentration of 4 ml (for plastics) to 8 ml of the product to 10 liters of water (for wood materials)

Storing Eggplant

Eggplants are very perishable and become bitter with age. They should be stored in a cool, dry place and used within a day or two of purchase. To store in the refrigerator, place in a plastic bag. If you plan to cook it the same day you buy it, leave it out at room temperature. Eggplant is not suitable for drying or canning. Freezing is the best method for home preservation.

Another method that can be used to decide when to pick the fruit is to pick fruits when about 2/3 maximum size.

Mature fruit should not be left on the plant as this will reduce overall productivity.

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Watering

Water Aubergine sufficiently to moisten the soil to a depth of at least 6 inches (15cm). The critical period for moisture is during fruit set and fruit development.

General Cultivation Practices

Eggplant fruits can become heavy for the plant to carry and may cause it to tip over. When tipping over the risk of the fruits touching the soil increases and so does the attack of insects. Use a stake to prop them up. When plants are about 20 cm high, nip back the growing tip to encourage branching. These heavy feeders should be planted in heavily composted soil with lots of manure, if available. Side dress frequently, especially when the plant begins to bloom. Aubergine is fairly drought tolerant and should not be over watered as it is susceptible to root rot. Mulching around the plant will help maintain even moisture. Watering may be increased when blooms appear.

Integrated Pests Management

Aromatic plants such as lavender, tansy, marigolds or wormwood help to keep aphids at bay. Pests: Aphids, red spider mites and caterpillars are the main culprits. Others are: colorado potato beetle, tomato russet mite, flea beetle, lace bugs, root knot, nematodes, thrips ,tomato hornworms, pepper maggot, whitefly. Diseases: Phytophthora Blight - Avoid water-logged root zones.

Grow Aubergine in well drained fields. Planting on raised beds will increase soil drainage. Water management is of primary importance for controlling Phytophthora blight. Rotate infested fields with other non-host crops for several years

Verticillium Wilt - Because of the aubergine's susceptibility to verticillium wilt, rotate plantings with other crops on the same garden soil. Avoid fields with a history of Verticillium Wilts. Fumigate soils with a propriety soil fumigant - 250 to 370lt per hectare Allow at least 30 days between application of the fumigant and planting.

Practice a 2 to 3 year crop rotation schedule to avoid Phomopsis Blight, Alternaria Leaf Spot, Cercospora Leaf Spot, and Anthracnose

Pests

Eggplant fruit and shoot borer (EFSB)

Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Eggplant fruit and shoot borer is one of the most destructive pests on eggplant and can reduce yields by as much as 70%.

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Biology

Egg: The adult females lay eggs singly or in groups of two to five on the under surfaces of leaves (Plate 1), tender shoots, flower buds, or the base of developing fruits. Each female lays about 250 eggs, which are creamy white soon after laying, but turn red before hatching. The egg period is three to five days.

Larva: The larva is creamy white to pink in color in the early stages. The grown-up larva is pink with sparse hairs on the warts on the body and a dark brown or blackish head (Plate 2). The full-grown larva measures about 16-23 mm in length. The larva usually has five instars, sometimes six. The larval period is about two weeks in summer and three weeks in winter.

Pupa: The larva pupates on the plant parts or plant debris on the soil surface, or rarely, under the soil. The pupation occurs in tough silken cocoons (Plate 3), and the pupa is dark brown in color. The pupa measures about 13 mm. The pupal period varies from one to two weeks.

Adult:

The moth is white or dirty white with pale brown or black spots on the dorsum of thorax and abdomen (Plate 4). Wings are white with a pink or blue tinge, and have pink or brown and red spots on the forewings. The female is bigger than male, with a bulged abdomen. The female moth tends to curl its abdomen upwards. The adult life span is about a week; the females live longer than males.

Damage Symptoms

Upon hatching, the larva starts boring near the growing point or into the flower buds or fruits. During the early vegetative phase of the crop growth, it feeds on the tender shoots. Soon after boring into the shoots and fruits, the larva seals the entry hole with excreta. The larva tunnels inside the shoot and feeds on the inner contents. It also fills the feeding tunnels with excreta. This results in wilting of young shoots (Plate 5), followed by drying (Plate 6) and drop-off, which slows plant growth. In addition, it produces new shoots, delaying crop maturity.

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Plate 5: Wilted shoot of eggplant damaged by Leucinodes orbonalis Plate 6: Dried shoot of eggplant damaged by Leucinodes orbonalis

During the early reproductive phase, the larva occasionally may feed on flower buds and flowers. However, it prefers to feed on the fruit rather than other plant parts during the fruiting stage of the crop. Damaged fruit exhibits boreholes on the surface (Plate 7), which often are sealed with excreta. The larva feeding inside the fruit creates tunnels filled with frass and fecal pellets (Plate 8).

Plate 7: Leucinodes orbonalis feeding damage on eggplant fruit. Plate 8: Leucinodes orbonalis feeding tunnels filled with excreta inside

the damaged eggplant fruit.

Leafhopper

Amrasca devastans distant (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)

Management Any single method of pest management alone will not achieve a level of EFSB control acceptable to producers. A simple and economic IPM technique can provide satisfactory control.

Avoid monoculture and follow crop rotation. Discontinuation of eggplant cultivation in a community for a few seasons will significantly reduce EFSB populations.

Avoid growing eggplant seedlings near fields with standing crops, in or near fields where the crop was grown previously, or near dried eggplant heaps. If seedlings must be grown in those areas, cover the beds with 30-mesh nylon net to prevent the entry of EFSB moths.

Choose resistant or moderately resistant cultivars available in the region. Consult the local extension agency for availability of resistant or tolerant varieties.

Promptly remove and destroy infested shoots and fruit at regular intervals until final harvest.

Protect parasitoids such as Trathala flavoorbitalis (Cameron), Eriborus sinicus (Holmgren), and Pristomerus testaceus (Morley). Reduced use of synthetic pesticides will enhance the activities of these natural enemies. In addition, weekly releases of egg parasitoid, Trichogramma chilonis (Ishii) @ 1g parasitized eggs/ha/week and larval parasitoid, Bracon habetor Say @ 800-1000 adults/ha/week could be followed (Alam et al. 2006a)

Install EFSB sex pheromone lures in traps at the rate of 100 traps per hectare. Place the traps either at canopy level or at slightly above the canopy level for effective attraction.

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Trathala flavoorbitalis Eriborus sinicus Pristomerus testaceus

Trichogramma chilonis larval parasitoid larval parasitoid

Classification The classification of fruits and vegetables has the following advantages:

A. Improves product presentation (better uniformity in size, color, packaging and the type); B. By offering a standardized product, package and credibility in volume and weight negotiation

and the business in general is simplified; C. Allows better option to the buyers; D. Reduces losses in marketing and prevents the marketing of unsuitable products. E. The classification gives more credibility and competitiveness to your product with the added

security of business and greater profit to the producer and the entire production chain.

UNECE STANDARD FFV-05 The united nations classification efforts puts more effort on allowing high quality produce in the

international market and focusing considerably on the cultivar, external quality and the end consumer.

Definition of Produce

According to their shape a distinction is made between:

elongated Aubergines, and (Lange Boulanger)

round Aubergines. (Ronde Boulanger)

Minimum requirements for marketability

Eggplant must be:

intact

sound; produce affected by rotting or deterioration such as to make it unfit for consumption is excluded

clean, practically free of any visible foreign matter

practically free from pests

free from damage caused by pests affecting the flesh

fresh in appearance

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firm

sufficiently developed without the flesh being fibrous or woody and without over-development of the seeds

provided with a calyx (zie foto 001) and peduncle (steel) which may be slightly damaged

Free of abnormal external moisture

Free of any foreign smell and/or taste The development and condition of the eggplant must be such as to enable them:

To withstand transportation and handling

To arrive in satisfactory condition at the place of destination

Classification

Eggplant is classified in two classes, as defined below: (i) Class I (Klasse I)

Eggplant in this class must be of good quality. They must be characteristic of the variety and/or commercial type. They must also be practically free from sun-scorch (zie foto 003) The following slight defects, however, may be allowed, provided these do not affect the general appearance of the produce, the quality, the keeping quality and presentation in the package:

A slight defect in shape

Slight defects in coloring but not greenish in case of violet varieties

Slight skin defects including slight bruising and/or slight healed cracks provided that they do not exceed a total surface area of 3cm2.

(ii) Class II (Klasse II) This class includes eggplants that do not qualify for inclusion in Class I but satisfy the minimum requirements specified above. The following defects may be allowed, provided the Aubergines retain their essential characteristics as regards the quality, the keeping quality and presentation:

Defects in shape

Defects in coloring but not greenish in case of violet varieties

Skin defects including slight bruising, slight healed cracks and/or slight sun-scorch provided that they do not exceed a total surface area of 4cm2.

Provisions concerning sizing

Size is determined by either:

the maximum diameter of the equatorial section on the longitudinal axis, or

by weight To ensure uniformity in size, the range in size between produce in the same package shall not excees:

(a) For sizing by diameter

20 mm for elongated Eggplants

25 mm for round Eggplants (b) For sizing by weight

75g for Eggplants between 100 to 300g

100g for Eggplants between 300 to 500g

250g for Eggplants above 500g

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Provisions concerning tolerances

At all marketing stages, tolerances in respect of quality and size shall be allowed in each lot for produce

not satisfying the requirements of the class indicated.

A) Quality tolerances

(i) Class I (Klasse I)

A total tolerance of 10% by number or weight is allowed. Within this tolerance only 1% may

consist of produce satisfying neither the requirements of Class II, the minimum

requirements, or of produce effected by decay.

(ii) Class II (Klasse II)

(iii) A total tolerance of 10% by number or weight is allowed. Within this tolerance only 2% may

consist of produce effected by decay.

B) Size tolerances

A total tolerance of 10$ for all classes, by number or weight is allowed

Provisions concerning presentation

A) Uniformity

The contents of each package must be uniform and contain only eggplant of the same origin, variety of commercial type, quality, size (if sized), and appreciably the same degree of development and coloring. “Elongated” eggplants packed in the same package must be sufficiently uniform as regards length. Eggplant of different commercial types and/or colors may be packed together, provided they are uniform in quality and, for each commercial type and/or color concerned in origin. The visible part of the contents of the package must be representative of the entire content.

B) Packaging

Eggplant must be packed in such a way as to protect the produce properly. The materials used inside the package must be clean and of a quality such as to avoid causing any external or internal damage to the produce. The use of materials, particularly of paper or stamps bearing trade specifications, is allowed, provided the printing or laballing has been done with non-toxic ink of glue. Stickers individually affixed to the produce shall be such that, when removed, they neither leave visible traces of glue nor lead to skin defects. Packages must be free of all foreign matter.

Provisions concerning marking

Each package must bear the following, in letters grouped on the same side, legibly and indelibly marked,

and visible from the outside:

1. Identification

Producer, packer and/or dispatcher/shipper:

Name and physical address

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2. Nature of Produce

“Boulanger” if the contents are not visible from the outside

Name of the variety (optional)

“Gemengde type”, or equivalent denomination, in the case of a mixture of distinctly different

commercial types and/or colors of Eggplants. If the produce is not visible from the outside, the

commercial types and/or colors and the quality of each in the package must be indicated.

3. Origin of produce

Country, district of origin

In the case of a mixture of distinctly different commercial types and different origins, the indication of

each location shall appear next to the name of the commercial type

4. Commercial specifications

Class

Size (if sized) expressed

o as minimum and maximum diameters when sizing is by diameter

o as minimum and maximum weight when sizing is by weight.

5. Official control mark (optional)

Example of different classifications and their meaning

Jenna’s Farm Boulanger straat 124A Lange Boulanger - F1 Panther District: Sarramacca Klasse I Netto gewicht: 450 gram

Jenna’s Farm Boulanger straat 124A Lange Boulanger - F1 Commodore District: Sarramacca Klasse I Netto gewicht: 450 gram

Latin American – Classification Latin American Eggplant classification focuses mostly on physical properties emphasizing the farmers

being able to market their produce while allowing the consumer to make a cost versos quality based

choice. Focus is oriented on fresh markets farmers markets and buyers more than the consumers.

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Definition of Produce

Eggplant destined for consumption should be presented with well-defined characteristics to the cultivar,

well formed, clean of impurities, free of mechanical, physical, pest and disease caused damage.

Permitting only those rates defined in this classification normative.

Minimum requirements for marketability and definitions

Packaging should not contain empty spaces to avoid friction

Fruit should have the characteristic form of the cultivar

Fruit should have a uniform coloring on almost the entire surface of the fruit

The color, form and size should be characteristic of the cultivar.

Length is measured from the base of the Calyx to the end of the fruit.

Width is the largest measured width perpendicular to the line in which the length is measured

Classification

Classification is done in accordance to class by size and type by quality.

There are three classes namely:

Classification Naming Definition of charactaristics

Length Diameter

Class I Graúda (Large) > 190 mm > 70 mm

Class II Médio (Medium) > 160 mm - < 190 mm > 60 mm - < 70 mm

Class III Miúda (Small) > 140 mm - < 160 mm > 50 mm - < 60 mm

If a product has either a length or a diameter smaller then required by a classification it will fall in the

defined Class. (Ex. Length 180 mm, Diameter 55mm belongs to Class II)

Types

Type

Defects tolerances p/ Type (%)

Mechanical Damage

Disease or pest caused damage

Spotted or burned damage

Badly formed fruit

Other deformities

Signs of decay

Max. allowed defacts tolerance

Type 1 – Extra

3 0 0 5 0 0 5

Type 2 – Special

5 3 3 10 5 0 10

Type 3 10 5 3 15 10 0 20

Type 4 15 10 10 20 15 2 35

Packaging

Package should be of wood or another allowed material and should adequately protect the produce from damage. The internal dimensions (W x L x H)are as follows: 495mm x 230mm x 355mm. A difference of not more then 5 mm in measurement will be tolerated. Spacing between wood boards should be not more then 80mm. Boxes marked as Large may contain a maximum of 10% of Medium Eggplants. Boxes marked as Medium may contain a maximum of 10% of Small Eggplants.

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Boxes marked as Small may contain a maximum of 10% of fruits with a minimum length of 120mm.

Package Marking

Each package must bear the following, in letters grouped on the same side, legibly and indelibly marked, and visible from the outside: Origin, Class and Type

Ways of classification of fruits and vegetables 1. Remove impurities and if applicable, wash in clean water (preferably treated) and/or drying

and/or brushing

2. If applicable separate product based on origin

3. Separate produce based on color, shape or variety

4. Sort products according to size or weight

5. Separate produce based on external quality based on major or minor defects.

All products with serious defects should be discarded at the time of packaging or even harvesting to

avoid cross-contamination.

Foto’s

Foto 001: Calyx (Bloemkelk) Foto 002: Peduncle (Steel) Foto 003: sun-scorch

Foto 003: Browning of Calyx Foto 004: Eggplant defects Foto 005: Chilling injury

Foto 005: Eggplant Internal browning rating scale

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Foto 006: Chilling injury in 2 weeks time frame at different temps.

Foto 007: Seed browning symptoms in 2 weeks time frame at different temps.

References

Mike Perry. Gardening & Landscaping. http://gardening.stackexchange.com/questions/1837/what-

is-the-proper-technique-to-hand-pollinate-an-eggplant

Linda Stradley. What’s Cooking America. http://whatscookingamerica.net/Vegetables/eggplant.htm

Wikipedia. Eggplant. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eggplant

Wikipedia. Hand-pollination. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_pollination

Wikipedia. Petal. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petal#Corolla

Wikipedia. Flower. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower

Science Dictionary. Pistil. http://www.webquest.hawaii.edu/kahihi/sciencedictionary/P/pistil.php

Mike the gardener enterprises. How to grow Eggplant.

http://averagepersongardening.com/articles/HowtoGrowEggplant.html#.Ux3k9YWdtKz

Manisa Turkish. Aubergine and Eggplant cultivaton. http://www.turkishlanguage.co.uk/aub.htm

Agricultural Standards Unit, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, UNECE Standard FFV-

05 concerning the marketing and commercial quality control of Aubergines, 2010 Edition,

http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trade/agr/standard/fresh/FFV-

Std/English/05Aubergines_2010.pdf

Marita Cantwell and Trevor Suslow, Recommendations for Maintaining Postharvest Quality, 2011,

Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis,

http://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/pfvegetable/EggplantPhotos/

Edison José Trento, Odílio Sepulcri, Fukuo Morimoto, Comercializaçao de Frutas, Legumes e

Verduras, Instituto Paranaense de assistência Técnica e Extensaão Rural,

http://www.asbraer.org.br/arquivos/bibl/79-com.pdf

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Rita de Fátima Alves Luengo, Adonai Gimenez Calbo, Milza Moreira Lana, Celso Luiz Moretti, Gilmar

Paulo Menz, Classificação de Hortaliças, Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária - Embrapa

Hortaliças, 1999, www.cnph.embrapa.br/public/classificacao.doc