Effect of Fruit Bagging on Eggplant Fruit and Shoot Borer for Quality Eggplant Production

The study was tested the technical feasibility of bagging eggplant fruits during production to protect them against Eggplant fruit and shoot borer (EFSB) following randomized complete block with 6 treatments. Highest number of marketable fruits per plant was produced by imported white bag (12.33), which was followed by butter paper bag (10.67). Maximum aborted fruit was obtained from the imported brown bag (23.33%) and HDPE bag (20.00%). The highest average fruit weight (363.33 g) was obtained from fruits bagged with Imported white, while maximum fruit length and fruit diameter was also produced from imported white bag (15.27 cm and 11.23 cm, respectively). Zero percent damage by eggplant fruit and shoot borer was produced by imported brown bag, imported white bag and butter paper bag, while higher infection was observed in open fruit (control) (17.70 %), HDPE bag (11.70 %). Bagging eggplant fruit produced 38.78 to 58.20 t/ha, while open fruit (control) produced only 35.66 t/ha. The highest calculated fruit yield 58.20 tons/ha was estimated from imported white bag and other bagging fruits were local brown bag (46.74 t/ha), HDPE bag (45.00 t/ha), butter paper bag (43.23 t/ha). The bagging of eggplant fruits with imported white bag and butter paper bag were more effective in reducing damage by eggplant fruit and shoot borer than the other bagging treatments and the control. These two treatments produced higher number of consumers preferred fruit, without negative effects on the color of the skin, fresh weight and fruit abortion, thus resulting in higher economic gains.