Evaluation of the performance of selected eggplant cultivars with resistance to the shoot/fruit borer, leafhopper and bacterial wilt in farmers' fields in Balete, Batangas [Philippines]: terminal report

This project evaluated the performance of five eggplant genotypes for resistance to the leafhopper, Amrasca biguttula (Ishida), shoot and fruit borer, Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee and bacterial wilt, Ralstonia solanacearum, and postharvest characteristics in farmers' field in Brgy. [Village] Sala, Balete, Batangas with farmer cooperators during 2006 dry season. The fruits were also evaluated for farmers' and consumers' preference and acceptability. The general screening of five genotypes in farmers' field with selected farmer cooperators was initially done and at harvest, the fruits were taken to the UPLB Post Harvest Training and Research Center for postharvest profile and characteristics. Harvests were also brought to the market to test for farmers' and consumers' preference and acceptability. A total of 33 farmers were the respondents for the survey. Seventy five percent were 31-55 year old and fifty percent were elementary graduates. Only 12% own the land. Seventy-five percent had an average area of less than 0.5 ha and only 12% own the land. Vegetables like okra, stringbeans, pepper, calamansi especially eggplant are grown in the area for the last 40 years. The place has available irrigation system. Shoot/fruit borer, leafhopper, flea beetle, bacterial wilt and phomopsis blight are the most serious problem pests in the last five years. Pesticides (Tamaron, Malathione, Furadan, Decis, Brodan, Karate) are mainly used to control these pests and sprayed weekly. They mostly get their knowledge on pesticides from DA technicians and dealers/sales representative. Only 25% attended on IPM [integrated pest management] seminar. Results showed that there was more leafhopper infestations in the fields of Lazaro Patulot and Reynaldo Gonzales and least were observed in the field of Nicanor Cabiscuelas. Across sampling periods, leafhopper population started to increase from 45 DAT and had its peak at 75 DAT [days after transplanting] in all farmers' fields. Casino had the highest adult counts while EG-203 had the lowest. Over-all, Casino was most susceptible to leafhopper followed by the grafted eggplant. EG 203 and A 300 were the resistant entries. For shoot/fruit borer resistance, Abar was susceptible followed by the grafted eggplant and Casino while A 300 and EG 203 were resistant.