Grafting affects yield and phenolic profile of Solanum melongena L. landraces

The influence of grafting on agronomical and qualitative characteristics of four Sicilian eggplant landraces was investigated. Grafted and ungrafted plants were compared in the open field in the northern coast of Sicily. Solanum torvum seedlings were used as rootstock. Regardless of genotypes tested, grafting significantly increased total fruit production, marketable production, and number of marketable fruits, but did not affect weight of marketable fruits and waste production. Landrace 2 (Sciacca), with black epidermal tissue and pyriform fruit shape, when grafted onto S. torvum not only gave a higher yield performance than ungrafted plants, but also showed a higher phenolic antioxidant content. Landrace 4 (Sicilia), with black epidermal tissue and small cylindrical fruits also benefited, when grafted onto S. torvum, from a substantial increase in antioxidant fruit content. As consumers' demand for fruits and vegetables rich in compounds important for human health is steadily increasing, these landrace/rootstock combinations should deserve more attention by plant nurseries involved in grafted seedling production and interested in the valorization and conservation of eggplant biodiversity.