HG 59

2003

IPM Series: Eggplant

Symptoms Possible Causes Notes
LEAVES/WHOLE PLANT

Leaf stippling Spider mites Yellow stippling; leaves may appear dirty on undersides.
Eggplant lace bug Symptoms similar to spider mite injury.

Leaf yellowing Spider mites Yellow stippling; leaves may appear dirty on undersides.
Early blight Advanced symptom of early blight infection (see “leaf spots”).
Moisture extremes
Low soil fertility
Eggplant lace bug Symptoms appear similar to spider mite injury.

Leaf scorch Flea beetles Tiny holes in scatter-shot pattern. Small, shiny dark insects that
jump when disturbed.
Moisture extremes

Leaf spots and blotches Early blight Dark, leathery spots begin on lower leaves; concentric rings within
lesions.
Phomopsis Circular gray spots with light-colored centers.
Phytotoxicity Pesticide or fertilizer residue may burn foliage.
Eggplant lace bug White spots or blotches appear on leaf surface.

Whole plant wilts Nematodes More likely on sandy soil; small growths (“root-knots”) form on
roots.
Moisture extremes Each plant should receive 1-2 gallons of water per week during dry
weather.
Verticillium and Fusarium Wilting starts at bottom of plant. Slice epidermis of wilted
wilt disease stems. Brown streaking will be seen in infected plants.

Holes chewed in leaves Flea beetles Tiny holes in scatter-shot pattern. Small, shiny dark insects that
jump when disturbed.
Colorado potato beetle Yellow and black striped beetles and grub-like larvae chew entire
leaves.

Poor growth/stunting Root-knot nematodes Progressive stunting as nematodes inhibit uptake of water and
nutrients. Check for root galls (round growths).
Flea beetles High populations can stunt young plants. Found mostly on leaf
undersides.
Poor growing conditions Weak transplants, cool weather, heavy clay or infertile soil,
inadequate sunlight.

1
For more information on this and other topics visit the University of Maryland Extension website at www.extension.umd.edu
Plants fall over (lodging) Insufficient support Large, healthy plants often require support.
Poorly developed root system Poor soil; check for nematode galls on roots.
Water-logged soil Poor soil drainage prevents strong root development.

Branch breaking Harvesting technique Cut fruit stems with sharp knife or pruners.

FRUIT
Failure to flower and fruit Low temperatures Night temps. below 55F.
Inadequate sunlight Less than 6 hrs. daily direct sunlight.
Poor pollination Eggplant only partially self-fertile. Insect pollinators necessary for
high yields of well-formed fruit.
Spacing too close

Holes chewed in fruit Hornworms Large green caterpillars with a black or red horn; handpick them.
Colorado potato beetle Yellow and black striped beetles and grub-like larvae.
Various fruit worms and Cause minimal damage.
cutworms

Spots on fruits Phomopsis Pale, sunken fruit spots begin at stem end.
Anthracnose Sunken leathery spots.
Early blight Small, dark, greenish-brown, leathery lesions with concentric rings.
Sunburn Caused by intense sunlight on exposed fruit.

Small or distorted fruits Poor pollination Insufficient insect pollinators. Avoid spraying insecticides during
bloom period.
Low soil fertility Sidedress plants with balanced fertilizer every two weeks after first
fruits form.

TRANSPLANTS AND SEEDLINGS

Symptoms Possible Causes Notes

White-tipped leaves Frost damage Plants insufficiently hardened; planted too early.

Purple leaves Cold damage Best to transplant eggplant into warm soil, 2 weeks after last frost
Phosphorous deficiency Low temperatures prevent phosphorous uptake.

Wilted Wind burn Leaves may become pale and dry.
Water stress Lack of adequate water; related to wind burn.

Plants fall over and die Damping-off Tap root and lower stem shrivel and darken.
Cutworms Night feeders; plants cut off at soil line.

Leaves and stems chewed Slugs and snails Night feeders; slimy trails may be seen.
Colorado potato beetle
Cutworms (See above)

Plants cut off at soil line Cutworms Plants sometimes “disappear”; dragged into underground burrow by
cutworm
Slugs and snails (See above)

Small holes Flea beetles Small, dark, shiny beetles that jump when disturbed; “shotgun”
feeding pattern.

Pale green leaves Lack of nitrogen Cool soils contribute to poor nutrient uptake.
Lack of sunlight Eggplant requires a minimum of 6-8 hours sunlight.

Leaf yellowing Spider mites Fine stippling, especially in warm weather.
Whitefly Tiny, white insects fly up when plant is disturbed; usually from
greenhouse where plants were grown.
2
The integrated pest management (IPM) approach to prevent-
ing or managing eggplant problems is recommended and can be
summarized as follows:

1. Correctly identify the problem; if insect or disease,

learn the life cycle and habits.

2. Learn to anticipate and prevent problems; reduce

plant stress.

3. Monitor the problem for worsening symptoms.

4. If level of damage becomes unacceptable choose a least

toxic control.

The severity of some common problems is closely related to the

weather (some diseases are worse in “wet” years) and to your
gardening decisions (selected varieties, spacing, etc.).

• Eggplant is a heavy feeder that grows best in deep, fertile

well-drained soils amended with organic matter. Soil pH
should be in the 6.0 to 6.8 range.
• Early season leaf yellowing can be caused by a lack of
nitrogen or potassium while purplish leaves indicate a
phosphorous deficiency. Cool soil will limit the uptake of
plant nutrients. Apply a soluble fertilizer after transplanting
Neon Eggplant (seaweed extract, compost tea, or starter fertilizer high in
phosphorous) to help alleviate early season nutrient stress.
• Sidedress plants with a balanced fertilizer every two weeks
Cultural/Environmental Problems after the first fruits form. Keep soluble and granular fertil-
izers off foliage to prevent leaf scorch.
Eggplant, Solanum melongena, is a bushy, semi-woody, erect • Eggplant is only partially self-fertile. Insects, primarily
perennial that originated in Africa and is grown as a tender bumble bees, are important pollinators of eggplant. To
annual in Maryland. protect these pollinators, avoid spraying insecticides dur-
• Eggplant is a full-sun plant (6-8 hours direct sunlight) ing the bloom period.
that requires 4-6 sq. ft. of growing space per plant. • Harvest the first fruit when it is only 4-6 inches long and
• Direct seeding into the garden results in small fruits and the seeds are still light colored or have not yet formed.
low yields. Always start with 6-10 week old, healthy • Harvest eggplant with a sharp knife or pruners. Be cau-
transplants. Avoid buying root-bound, stressed plants. tious of the sharp spines on the calyx (where the fruit
• Eggplant is more frost-sensitive than tomato or pepper, attaches to the stem).
and transplants should only be set out when they have 6-8 • Twisting fruits off will result in broken branches.
open leaves and night temperatures are above 60F. Cool • Some gardeners pinch off flowers that open in late sum-
weather at planting time may limit plant growth and yield mer to direct the plant’s energy into ripening the remain-
for the entire season. ing fruits.
• Black plastic mulch laid on the ground one month prior to • Success with eggplant depends on warm soil, sufficient
transplanting will warm the soil and promote strong, early water and nutrients, and preventing or controlling flea
growth. beetles.
• Plants often fall over (lodge) in a wind storm when the
fruit load is heavy. Supporting plants with string and
stakes or cages is essential to avoid this problem.

3
 Foliar Diseases/Plant Wilts Cutworms
Minor foliar diseases may appear on eggplant. Cutworms are gray to black or a dull brownish color. Mature
Control: Remove infected leaves, avoid overhead watering, caterpillars can reach 1 and 3/4 inches in length and curl up into
provide adequate space between plants. a C-shape when disturbed. Cutworms are generally a problem
during May and June. The caterpillars clip off eggplant trans-
Severe water stress caused by a lack of water, poorly developed plants at or just below the soil level and are active at night. Look
root system or poorly drained soil will produce wilt symptoms. for cutoff seedlings and dig around the base of the plant for the
The soil-borne diseases Verticillium and Fusarium occasionally caterpillars. Climbing cutworms occasionally bore into fruit.
infect home plantings. Wilted plants should be examined for Control: To protect seedlings and transplants from cutworm
signs of vascular discoloration, a sign of these diseases. damage, wrap them with cardboard collars. A simple collar can
Control: Remove and discard infected plants. Avoid planting be made from a cardboard tube or a paper cup with the bottom
strawberries, potatoes, eggplant, tomatoes or peppers in infected removed. Push the cup into the soil to hold it in place.
areas. Black plastic mulch or organic mulches (straw, grass clip-
pings) will help conserve moisture.
Flea Beetles (Epitrix spp.)
Fruit Diseases These insects are often the most damaging, season-long problem
Several minor fungal diseases attack fruits, including anthrac- of eggplant in Maryland. Flea beetles are small beetles with
nose, Alternaria, Phytophthora and Phomopsis. Fruit diseases enlarged back legs that enable them to jump. The most common
are more prevalent during wet seasons. species on eggplant is the potato flea beetle, which is 2 mm long,
Control: Keep plants and fruits off the ground, avoid over- black, and has yellow rear legs. The adult beetles emerge in late
head watering and maintain an organic mulch around plants spring and chew many small, round holes in leaves, eventually
(unless you are using black plastic mulch.) causing leaves to turn brown and die. The feeding damage retards
growth and gives the plants a sickly, diseased look.
Control: Prevent flea beetle problems by protecting transplants,
as soon as they are set, with floating row cover. Be sure that
the row cover is secured tightly to the ground. Very lightweight
floating row covers, sometimes called “insect barrier”, can be
used to cover plants all season long. Eggplant is partially insect-
pollinated, however, so covering the plants for an entire growing
season will reduce production by as much as 50%. Older plants
can usually tolerate moderate feeding and still produce a decent
crop. Asian type cultivars seem to be less prone to feeding injury.
A pyrethrum and soap or neemoil spray can also be used to kill
flea beetles. Plants can also be dusted with woodash, flour, or
Surround (a kaolin clay product). These materials create a barrier
that deters feeding. Adult flea beetles overwinter in plant debris
Flea beetles and injury on eggplant and weeds. Remove these refuges by removing or rototilling
weeds and debris in the fall. Plant a trap crop of radishes 2 weeks
before planting eggplant. Flea beetles prefer radish to eggplant.

Colorado Potato Beetle

(Leptinotarsa decemlineata)
The Colorado potato beetle prefers eggplant over potato and can
be a serious insect pest in Maryland gardens. The adult beetle is
stout, about d of an inch long, and has yellow wing covers with
black stripes. The larvae are red to orange, stout, with 2 rows of
black spots along their sides. Both adults and larvae feed on the
leaves, leaving only veins and stems. There are up to 3 genera-
tions of this beetle in Maryland each year.
Control: It is important to monitor plants from the time they are
set out in the garden, for signs of larvae and adults. If only a few
Eggplant leaf dusted with wood ash are present, hand pick and destroy them along with orange egg
masses. Prevent potato beetle problems by protecting transplants
as soon as they are set out with floating row cover. (See flea beetle
section.) Bacillus thuringiensis var tenebrionis may be used to
control young larvae in heavy infestations. A thick straw mulch
placed around plants may also help to deter larvae.

4
 SPIDER MITES

Spider mites can be a problem during hot, dry weather. They

Root-Knot Nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.)
Root-knot nematodes are microscopic worms that feed on plant
are very tiny with 8 legs and vary in color from light green
roots producing swellings or galls. Nematodes reduce the plant’s
(with two dark spots) to red. To the unaided eye they look like
ability to take up water and nutrients. Symptoms include wilt-
tiny moving dots. They feed on the undersides of leaves and
ing, reduced vigor, smaller fruit and leaves. The only sure way
damage appears as fine stippling (pin-point yellow spots that
to check if a plant has root knot nematodes is to dig it up and
become bleached) on the upper surfaces. Lower leaf surfaces
examine the root system for galls. Root knot tends to be more
appear dirty and may or may not have webbing. Heavy mite
of a problem in sandy soils.
infestations cause leaves to turn yellow and eventually brown. A
Control: If nematodes have been a problem, move eggplants or
simple technique for sampling is to tap a few terminal leaves over
other susceptible plants to another part of the garden. Organic
a piece of white paper. Wait a few seconds and watch for move-
soil amendments such as peat, manure and compost can be added
ment. Mite infestations can be severe during hot, dry weather.
to the soil to help reduce the impact of nematodes to vegetable
Control: All lower leaf surfaces must be contacted with an plants. They may contain substances that inhibit nematodes and
insecticide (hort. oil or insecticidal soap) to kill the mites. Plants also increase the water-holding capacity and fertility of the soil.
that have suffered heavy mite feeding are also easily damaged by Planting rapeseed can also help to reduce root knot nematode
insecticide sprays. This is especially true of insecticidal soap or populations.
horticultural oil applied during hot, dry weather. Predatory mites
References:
are an excellent option. They will kill the spider mites and provide Carr, A. 1979. Color Handbook of Garden Insects. Emmaus, PA.: Rodale Press.
long-term control. They are available through mail-order sources. 241pp.

Eggplant Lace Bug Capinera, J. L. 2001. Handbook of Vegetable Pests. Academic Press. 729pp.
This lace bug feeds on eggplant primarily but is also occa- Flint, M.L. 1990. Pests of the Garden and Small Farm, University of California
sionally found on other members of the Solanaceae family Publication 3332. 286pp. Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Uni-
- tomato, potato, etc. It is dark brown around the head and versity of California, 6701 San Pablo Ave., Oakland, CA 94608-1239, (415)
has lacey, well-veined wings. Adults feed on leaf undersides. 642-2431. $30.00.
There are numerous over-lapping generations each summer. Gilberg, L. ed. 1993. Garden Pests and Diseases. Menlo Park, CA.: Sunset
Publishing Corporation. 112pp.
Control: Monitor plants closely for sign of this insect if leaves
become stippled. Apply ultra-fine horticultural oil or insecti- MacNab, A.A., A.F. Sherf, and J.K. Springer. 1983. Identifying Diseases of
Vegetables. Pennsylvania State University, College of Agriculture. University
cidal soap to control damaging populations of this occasional Park, PA. 62pp.
pest. Be sure to direct the spray to the upper and lower leaf
surfaces. Reviewed By:
Charles McClurg, Ph.D., Extension Vegetable Specialist (retired), University of
Maryland, College Park, MD.

Robert Mulrooney, M.S., Extension Plant Pathologist, University of Deleware,

Newark, DE.

Do you have a plant or insect

pest question?
Visit us at extension.umd.edu/
hgic

Authors: Jon H. Traunfeld and Mary Kay Malinoski, University of Maryland Extension
Specialists, Home and Garden Information Center

This publication is a series of publications of the University of Maryland Extension and The Home and Garden Information Center. For more information on related
publications and programs, http://extension.umd.edu/hgic. Please visit http://extension.umd.edu/ to find out more about Extension programs in Maryland.
The University of Maryland, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources programs are open to all and will not discriminate against anyone because of race, age,
sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, or national origin, marital status, genetic information, or political affiliation, or gender
identity and expression.
5
For more information on this and other topics visit the University of Maryland Extension website at http://extension.umd.edu