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RESEARCH PRODUCT

PLANTING DENSITY AND PRUNING METHOD AFFECT EGGPLANT SOILLESS CULTURE

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The aim of this research was to evaluate the effects of two planting densities (1.6 plants-m-2 or 2.5 plants-m-2) and two pruning methods (two or four stemmed plants) on eggplant cultivars Black Bell and Longo in soilless culture. The research was carried out in 2003-2004 in the Northern coast Sicily. Eggplant plug plants were transplanted in a heated glasshouse in polystyrene containers (80 cm in length, 25 cm in width, 20 cm in height) filled with coconut coir dust. The experimental design was a split-split plot. Fruit production from January to April increased significantly as planting density increased. Irrespectively of the cultivars, four stemmed plants gave higher yields than two stemmed plants.