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- E- Mail : director.hordi@doa.gov.lk
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Ela Batu
Solanum insanum
This vegetable crop was cultivated in chena cultivation in past. Presently it is cultivated as a home garden crop as well as a commercial cultivation. Elabatu is a hardy plant and well adaptable to dry condition so this crop can be successfully cultivated in dry areas. Elabatu can be kept for more than one year in production by pruning at the end of the harvesting season
Released Varieties
Climatic requirements/ Areas suitable for cultivation
This crop can be successfully grown in low country wet, intermediate and dry zone and mid country wet and intermediate zone.
Soil
Well drain, light loamy soils with a pH of 5.5-5.8 are more suitable for the cultivation.
Seed requirement
250 – 300 g/ha
Nursery Management
Prepare 1m * 3m raise nursery bed to a height of 15-20cm. Add 1:1 sieved compost and top soil layer on the bed. Sterilize seedbeds by burning them using straw and paddy husk. Treat seeds with a recommended fungicide. Seed should be planted in beds 10-15 cm apart at the depth of 0.5 to 1 cm and cover with a thin layer of soil. Spread a layer of straw mulch over the beds and water daily. Remove the mulch when the germination is complete. Avoid exposure of seedlings to heavy rains and to prolong sunlight. Harden seedlings by exposing them to sunlight and increasing irrigation intervals for one week before planting. Seedlings are ready to transplant after 3-4 weeks.
Land preparation
Avoid field cropped with Solanaceous crops in the previous two season to minimize the incidence of Bacterial wilt. Plough the field to a depth of 15-30cm and prepare Planting holes with the dimension of 30 x 30 x 30cm. Incorporate organic matter. Healthy seedlings aged 25 to 30 days with four fully expanded leaves are suitable for transplanting with one plant/hill.
Cultivation Time
Maha season – November and December
Yala season – April to May
Nursery should be laid one month before planting
Spacing
90cm in between rows and 60cm with in row
Fertilizer
Times for apply | Urea kg/ha | TSP kg/ha | MOP kg/ha |
Basal fertilizer | 75 | 325 | 80-85 |
Top dressing (01 month after planting) | 75 | – | – |
Top dressing ( 02 month after planting) | 75 | – | 85 |
Top dressing ( 03 month after planting) | 75 | – | – |
Water supply
During dry period irrigation should be practiced at least 5days interval
Weed Control
Field should be maintained free from weeds. Some weeds are host plant for insect. Weeding will be help to minimize the pest population. Weeding should be done before every fertilizer application.
Pest Management
Major pests that affect elabatu crop are Shoot and Fruit Borer (SFB), Mites, and Hoppers.
Damages can be control by using recommended insecticides
Disease Management
Bacterial wilt is a common disease found in “Elabatu”. There is no chemical control for this disease which said to be the number one diseases for all solanaeceous crops. Cultural practices such as deep drains to facilitate drainage and the use of resistant varieties can be recommended to control the incidence.
Harvesting and processing
Can begin harvesting about 10 – 12 weeks after transplanting. Ten to twelve picks at weekly intervals are possible.
Yield
20-25 tons /ha