Skip to content

Grafted brinjal seedlings

Grafted brinjal seedlings combine a commercial brinjal (Solanum melongena) scion with the wild brinjal Solanum torvum as rootstock to confer broad-spectrum resistance to soil-borne diseases that limit brinjal yields in tropical soils. The technique has been validated by ICAR-IIHR Bengaluru and is propagated commercially through specialised vegetable nurseries.

Rootstock and scion

  • Rootstock: Solanum torvum (Turkey berry, wild brinjal), highly resistant to bacterial wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum), Verticillium and Fusarium wilts and root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne incognita).
  • Scion: any commercial brinjal hybrid or open-pollinated variety, including long-fruited, round and cluster types.
  • Graft type: tube grafting or cleft grafting at the 2-4 leaf stage in a controlled healing chamber at 28-30 deg C and 90-95% relative humidity.

Mode of action

The torvum rootstock isolates the susceptible scion from soil-borne pathogens and from root-knot nematodes that destroy non-grafted brinjal in infested fields. Beyond disease tolerance, torvum's vigorous root system supports a larger canopy and prolongs the productive life of the plant, particularly in ratoon brinjal systems.

Performance

Independent published trials report grafted brinjal yielding approximately 9 kg per plant against around 4.8 kg per plant for non-grafted controls of the same scion, with the gain attributable to disease escape, vigour and extended duration. Grafted plants also tolerate flooding and waterlogging better than seedling-raised brinjal.

Adoption context

Grafted brinjal is most economic for high-value vegetable growers on land with a known wilt or nematode history, where non-grafted brinjal repeatedly fails. The grafted seedling carries a substantial price premium over seedling-raised plants, but is recovered through yield and extended harvest period. Indian commercial vegetable nurseries, particularly in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, produce grafted seedlings to order.

See also: Grafted Ridge Gourd, Kadiyam Nursery Belt, Fruit Research Station Sangareddy, Kashmir Saffron Corms.

References

  1. Grafting in Brinjal for Sustainable Yield. Vegetos (Springer).
  2. Solanum torvum as a Compatible Rootstock. Longdom Open Access.