Effects of harvesting stages on yield and nutritional quality of African eggplant (Solanum aethiopicum L.) fruits
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Date
2014
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of Applied Biosciences
Abstract
Farmers often harvest African eggplant (Solanum Aethiopicum L.) fruits at different stages of fruit
maturity. The influence of these harvesting practices on fruit productivity and nutritional quality is not known.
This study was conducted to determine the effect of harvesting stages on yield and nutritional quality of
African eggplant varieties.
The experiment was laid out in a split plot arrangement in a complete randomized
block design with three replications. Three African eggplant varieties (Tengeru white, AB2 and Manyire
green) and three harvesting stages (1, 2 and 3) were used as main plot factor and sub plot factor,
respectively. Harvesting stage 1 (immature fruits) was characterized by fruits with non-shiny peel,
harvesting stage 2 (mature fruits) was characterized by fruits with shinny peel and harvesting stage 3 (overmature
fruits) was characterized by fruits with yellow coloration at the bottom. Fruit yield was assessed
based on number and weight of fruits per plant while fruit nutritional quality was assessed in the laboratory
based on carbohydrate, fibres, calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, 9-carotene and ascorbic
acid contents. The collected data were subjected to analysis of variance using MSTATC statistical software.
Treatments mean separation was conducted based on Student-Newman Keuls at P < 5 %. Results showed
that yield in number of fruits per hectare decreased while yield in metric tons per hectare increased with fruit
development stages. Varieties Tengeru white and AB2 had the highest yields based on metric tons at
harvesting stage 2 while Manyire green had the highest yield at harvesting stage 3. Carbohydrate and fibre
contents increased while ascorbic acid, 9-carotene and most minerals decreased with fruit development
stages.
This study recommends harvesting immature fruits for high vitamin
and mineral contents and delayed harvesting for the highest yield. As yield and nutritional quality trends
vary with varieties, further studies are required to determine the effect of harvesting stages on yield and
nutritional quality of different varieties of African eggplant.
Description
Msogoya et al. J. Appl. Biosci. 2014. Effect of harvesting stages on yield and nutritional quality of African eggplant (Solanum aethiopicum) fruits.6590
Keywords
Yield, Nutritional quality, Harvesting stages, Africa eggplant