An erect, branching annual grown for its glossy, variably shaped fruit, a major vegetable crop across the tropics and subtropics.
The aubergine, eggplant or garden egg (Solanum melongena, family Solanaceae) is an annual or short-lived perennial, often much branched, with stems that can become woody, up to 1.5 metres tall and occasionally 2 metres. It arose in cultivation, its origin is unclear, and it is not known wild. Its fruit is a popular vegetable, especially in the tropics, grown in gardens and commercially and commonly sold in markets, and the plant also has traditional medicinal uses. All its green parts are poisonous.
It grows well in the lowland tropics and up to 1,200 metres and does not tolerate frost. A steady temperature of 25 to 30°C gives the best flowering and fruiting. It can be grown in both wet and dry seasons, though too much rain slows growth and reduces flowering. It needs sun and plenty of moisture in a well-drained, sandy soil rich in organic matter. Picking can begin three to four months after sowing and can continue for more than a year in the tropics, with yields of up to 5 tonnes per hectare. There are many varieties. Seed is soaked for 24 hours, germinates in 8 to 12 days at 22 to 28°C, and seedlings are planted out at 8 to 10 cm tall.
Source: Useful Tropical Plants database (Fern, K.).
Leaves and fruit are used in some traditional practices for wound care and as a mild diuretic; the fruit is nutritionally valued for its fibre and antioxidant content.
The fruit is cooked in soups, stews, and fried dishes; it is a widely grown vegetable crop across Nigeria.
Grown from seed in nurseries and transplanted to the field; matures in about 3-4 months and prefers warm, well-drained soil.