Field study of growth and yield enhancement of insect-infested garden eggplant, Solanummelongena (L.), using organo-mineral fertilizer in ObioAkpa, Akwa Ibom State

A field study of the growth and yield enhancement of an insect-infested African eggplant, Solanum melongena (L.) using organo-mineral fertilizer, was under-taken at the Teaching and Research farm of Akwa Ibom State University ObioAkpa Campus in 2023. Three levels of fertilizer application (0, 2, and 4 tha-1) which served as treatments were replicated three times and with the entire experiment laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design. Eggplant seedlings were raised in a nursery and transplanted to the field at five weeks old. The results showed that Zonocerusvariegatus was the predominant and most widely distributed insect pests. Other identified insect pests were Ootheca mutabilis,Acraeaegina, Epilachna beetle, and Anoplocnemiscurvipes. The presence of these insects had no evidence of a negative effect on eggplant performance even though their population increased as a result of organo-mineral fertilizer application. Generally, all the major insects collected had their highest number at 4t/h organo-mineral fertilizer treated plots. Effect of fertilizer level on eggplant was significant (p<0.05) in all the growth and yield parameters considered. The study also showed a significant negativecorrelation with r = -0.512, -0.546, and – 0.508 for 2t/ha-1, 4tha-1 and the control respectively, between the number of fruits and pest frequency under the different rates of fertilizer application. Conclusively, the use of organo-mineral fertilizer at 4tha-1 is recommended for growth and increase in the yield of eggplant.