Eggplant Production, Transplanting

Transplanting
Eggplant Production

	The ideal transplant is a seedling with 3-4 true leaves, stocky and disease-free, and without flower buds. Begin hardening plants 6-9 days before transplanting. Slightly withhold water. Expose seedlings to stronger sunlight by removing the netting.
	Thoroughly water seedlings 12-14 hours before transplanting to the field. Transplanting should be done in the late afternoon or on a cloudy day in order to minimize transplanting shock. Transplanting can be done manually or by machine.
	Raised beds are recommended in eggplant production. AVRDC uses 1.5-m wide beds (furrow to furrow) that are 20-25 cm high. A single row of plants is planted in the middle of the bed. Plants are spaced 50 cm apart for a plant population density of 13,333 plants/ha.