GROWTH AND REPRODUCTIVE RESILIENCE OF EGGPLANT GENOTYPES UNDER WATERLOGGING STRESS AT FLOWERING STAGE

Abstract

Excess soil moisture and short-term waterlogging constrain vegetable production, particularly during reproductive stages requiring continuous assimilate supply for fruit development. Twelve contrasting eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) genotypes were evaluated for growth dynamics, reproductive performance, and yield under six days of waterlogging imposed at the flowering stage. Growth traits (leaf area, root and total dry weight, CGR, RGR, NAR), reproductive traits (flower drop, fruit set), and yield attributes (fruit number, average fruit weight, yield plant⁻¹) were assessed. Significant genotype × treatment interactions were observed for most of the parameters (p < 0.001) studied. Waterlogging significantly reduced vegetative growth and growth rate indices across the genotypes, though the magnitude varied considerably. Flower drop ranged from 13.38% to 61.41%, and fruit set from 20.59% to 75.57%. Genotype ‘S. undatum’ showed highest fruit set and lowest flower drop, followed by ‘Kamini Brinjal’ and ‘BRS-20’, while genotypes ‘Black Small’ and ‘BRS-2’ showed severe reproductive and yield losses. Correlation analysis revealed strong associations between growth maintenance and reproductive stability (r = 0.76-0.94), confirming that sustained biomass accumulation and growth rate under stress directly support flower retention and fruit set. The study identified genotypes ‘S. undatum’, ‘Kamini Brinjal’, and ‘BRS-20’ as the promising, warranting further evaluation for waterlogging tolerance in eggplant breeding programs.