Eggplant is a common dish on the dinner table, but it's challenging to find fresh local eggplants in northern regions during winter. The main issues include limited variety, fewer hybrid options, and persistent diseases and pests that lead to low and unstable yields. Additionally, there has been no reliable cultivation technique for growing eggplants in greenhouses during cold seasons. In recent years, researchers have successfully developed grafting techniques for winter eggplant production, enabling large-scale harvests before and after the Spring Festival. This method significantly reduced the incidence of verticillium wilt, with only 1.1% infection rate in grafted seedlings, achieving an impressive yield of 9,400 kg per 667 square meters and an income of 27,160 yuan. Below are the detailed cultivation techniques.
Before grafting, soil disinfection is crucial. Use soil from a previous Sophora field, mix with organic fertilizer in a 6:4 ratio. Apply 50% Bacillus subtilis WP (15–20g) and 50% phoxim EC (150g) per 15–20kg of water, spray evenly, cover with plastic film for 15 days, then prepare the seedbed. Rootstocks should be selected based on strong compatibility, disease resistance, and high-quality fruit production. Commonly used rootstock is the wild eggplant variety "Torrrubam." Scion varieties can be local high-quality eggplants.
For seedling preparation, plant rootstocks first, followed by scions 15–20 days later. Adjust seedling sizes based on growth conditions. Grafting methods vary depending on the season. For autumn greenhouse planting, rootstock seeds are soaked in 55°C water for 15 minutes, germinated at 20–30°C alternately. Scion seeds are treated with 60°C water, then soaked for 24 hours before sowing. Proper grafting occurs when both rootstock and scion have 4–5 true leaves, with stems about 0.4–0.5 cm thick. The cutting method ensures proper alignment of the vascular layers, and the interface must remain dry post-grafting to prevent infections.
After grafting, maintaining high humidity and temperature is essential. For the first three days, keep the area shaded and moist. Gradually introduce light and air circulation over the next week. Maintain temperatures between 25–28°C during the day and 20–22°C at night, with humidity above 95%. After ventilation, apply a mixture of potassium dihydrogen phosphate and a fungicide to prevent yellowing and disease. Regular watering and careful management help the seedlings adapt and thrive.
Once the grafts are established, transplant them into prepared beds with proper spacing and fertilization. Follow conventional eggplant care practices, including regular watering, pruning, and nutrient management. Ensure adequate light and temperature control, especially during winter. Harvest typically occurs 90–100 days after planting, providing a consistent supply of high-quality eggplants even in cold months.
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Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) comprise a group of natural biodegradable polyesters that are synthesized by microorganisms. However, several disadvantages limit their competition with traditional synthetic plastics or their application as ideal biomaterials. These disadvantages include their poor mechanical properties, high production cost, limited functionalities, incompatibility with conventional thermal processing techniques and susceptibility to thermal degradation. To circumvent these drawbacks, PHAs need to be modified to ensure improved performance in specific applications. In this review, well-established modification methods of PHAs are summarized and discussed. The improved properties of PHA that blends with natural raw materials or other biodegradable polymers, including starch, cellulose derivatives, lignin, poly(lactic acid), polycaprolactone and different PHA-type blends, are summarized. The functionalization of PHAs by chemical modification is described with respect to two important synthesis approaches: block copolymerization and graft copolymerization. The expanded utilization of the modified PHAs as engineering materials and the biomedical significance in different areas are also addressed.
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