Eggplant

Days to harvest

70–85 days

Sunlight

5–7 hours/day

Watering

1–1 per day

Plant spacing

60 cm

Minimum container size

35cm deep × 40cm wide

Container-friendly

2 plants per container

Estimated yield

200 kg / 100m²

Life span

annual

Climate Requirements

Ideal temperature

25-35 °C

Annual rainfall

1500-2500 mm

Humidity

60-80%

Heat tolerance

high

Drought tolerance

moderate

Soil & Planting

Companion Plants

• Sweet Basilstrong

  Basil repels aphids and the eggplant fruit and shoot borer (Leucinodes orbonalis); basil root exudates also suppress soil fungi around eggplant

• Long Beanmoderate

  Long bean nitrogen fixation reduces fertiliser need for eggplant; different rooting depths avoid nutrient competition

• Mintmoderate

  Mint repels flea beetles and aphids that attack eggplant

Plants to Avoid Nearby

• Cherry Tomato

  Same-family Solanaceae disease sharing: bacterial wilt, TYLCV, Phytophthora blight readily cross-infect when planted within 2 m of each other

• Bird's Eye Chili

  Same cross-Solanaceae disease vector risk as with tomato; additionally, eggplant fruit borer can migrate to chili as secondary host

• Bell Pepper

  Both Solanaceae sharing pest and disease vectors; concentrated outbreak risk when planted together

Common Pests & Diseases

Safety Notes

Solanine present in unripe fruit — cook thoroughly. Observe 7-day PHI after pesticide application. Use integrated pest management to reduce chemical dependency. Remove overripe fruit to prevent pest attraction.

Market Demand

Moderate-high; popular in curries

Regional Notes

Terung telunjuk variety preferred

Sources

• Vegetable Growing Guide for Malaysia — DOA Malaysia · Last reviewed: 2026-04-12