Effect of different rootstocks on yield, quality and soil borne diseases (fusarium oxysporium f. sp. melonis ve verticillium dahlia) in grafted eggplant

Soilborn diseases such as Verticillium dahliae and Fusarium oxysporium f. sp. melongenae often causes significant reductions of yield in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.). Grafting on resistant rootstocks is an effective method to control this diseases. It is also used to improve yield and fruit quality. Eggplant is an important vegetable crop that benefits significantly from grafting. In this study, effect of different rootstocks on yield, quality and resistant to Verticillium and Fusarium wilts of commercial eggplant cultivars Anamur RZ Fı and A117 Fı were tested in steril and contamined conditions. The eggplants were grafted onto several rootstocks, including Hawk, Hercules, Hikyaku, Köksal Fı, Boğaç, Conan, KingKong and Anafor, compared with nongrafted and selfgrafted control plants. Marketable fruit number and marketable fruit yield were significantly increased by grafting when inoculated with V. Dahliae and F. oxysporium. In particular, KingKong (tomato) and Hawk (Solanum torvum) rootstocks showed the highest performance. In steril conditions, marketable yield increased only in plants grafted on Hawk, KingKong and Hikyaku rootstocks, while other rootstocks did not increase yield compared with control plants. Grafting on Hawk, KingKong, Boğaç and Anafor rootstocks resulted significant increase in average fruit weight, while other rootstocks did not in the steril conditions. While grafting had no effect on dry weight, pH and titretable acidity of eggplant fruits, it caused a decrease in the amount of total solible solid dry matter. As a result, the use of grafting in eggplant cultivation will provide significant increases in yield as well as providing significant protection against soil-borne pathogens such as Verticillium and Fusarium wilts