Organic Fertilization and Biostimulant Application to Improve Yield and Quality of Eggplant While Reducing the...

Environmental sustainability is a crucial issue in modern agriculture and special attention needs to be paid to soil health preservation. Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) cultivation implies the supply of relevant quantities of chemical fertilizers, since the crop has high nutrient requirements. This study investigated the combined effects of two common organic amendments-compost and digestate-and two types of biostimulant-a plant-based product and a microbe-based product-on fruit production and quality of eggplant, to highlight the potential synergistic effects of fertilization and biostimulation. The experiment was carried out in a Mediterranean greenhouse in the winter/spring period, assessing early and total marketable yield and fruit qualitative traits (firmness, color, nitrogen, ascorbic acid, carotenoid and phenol content, and antioxidant activity). Results showed that the fertilization strategy significantly influenced plant productivity, with digestate promoting the early fruitification and mineral fertilizers resulting in a higher total yield. Biostimulants, particularly the microbial type, improved the fruit quality in terms of carotenoid content and antioxidant activity. These findings highlight the potential benefits of combining organic amendments with biostimulants in eggplant cultivation, enhancing the economic value of the product through the increase in the early production and fruit nutraceutical value while realizing sustainable practices.