Study the effect of two organic fertilizers, methods of fertilization on productivity, pests and predatory insects associated with eggplant under modified climatic condition

Fatma S Moursy 1, Doaa AM Gad 2, Dalia Adly 3 and Ihab I Sadek 1, *

1 Climate Modification Research Department, Central Laboratory for Agricultural Climate (CLAC), Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Giza, Egypt.
2 Application of Agriculture Climate Research Department, Central Laboratory for Agricultural Climate (CLAC), Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Giza, Egypt.
3 Biological Control Department, Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Giza, Egypt.
 
Research Article
GSC Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2021, 16(01), 170–185.
Article DOI: 10.30574/gscbps.2021.16.1.0205
Publication history: 
Received on 17 June 2021; revised on 22 July 2021; accepted on 24 July 2021
 
Abstract: 
This study investigated the effects of two organic fertilizer (compost tea and humic acid) compared to chemical fertilizer on plant growth, productivity, pests and predatory insects associated with eggplant Solanum melongena var. Black beauty under net house in 1st of April at 2019 and 2020 seasons. Application of fertilizers through fertigation enhanced significantly number of leaves, stem fresh weight, average fruit weight and total fruit yield. Moreover, stem diameter, nitrogen content in leaves (%), phosphorus content in leaves (%), potassium content in leaves (%), number of fruits and total yield were enhanced significantly due to using compost tea. However, using the humic acid cause a significant enhancement in number of shoots, number of leaves, stem diameter and leaves fresh weight. In addition, application of compost tea through the fertigation cause a significant superiority in number of shoots, nitrogen content in leaves (%), phosphorus content in leaves (%), potassium content in leaves (%), number of fruits, average fruit weight and total yield. The highest significant values of leaves fresh weight and stem dry weight were mainly due using humic acid through foliar application. Three main pest species and seven different predators' species were recorded associated with pests on eggplant. The application of foliar and fertigation compost tea increased pest populations significantly compared with humic acid and control. But also, increase the predators' population. 
 
Keywords: 
Eggplant; Compost tea; Humic acid; Method of fertilization; Pests; predatory insects
 
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