Genetically Modified Parthenocarpic Eggplants: Improved Fruit Productivity Under Both Greenhouse and Open Field Cultivation - Genetic Engineering: Recent Developments in Applications - page 115

Table 1. Eggplant production of parthenocarpic hybrids and their respective controls at springtime.
The increased productivity of GM hybrids characterised both the early spring
production (i.e. the first four harvests) and the whole spring production cycle (i.e.
sixteen harvests). During the whole spring production cycle, the hybrids P1 and
P2 gave an average yield that was 46% higher with respect to the corresponding
control C1 (Table 1). The hybrid P5 gave a 37% higher yield with respect to its
control C2. The average total number of fruits produced per plant in both loca-
tions was similar in all the hybrids (8-9 fruits/plant). However, the higher aver-
age weight of the GM fruits led to a higher total yield of transgenic hybrids with
respect to their controls. When considering the whole spring cultivation cycle, the
parthenocarpic cultivar Talina gave a total production that was not significantly
different from either of the three GM hybrids (Table 1).
Open Field (Summer) Production
Summer production was evaluated in an open field trial carried out during the
optimal period of eggplant cultivation. Plants were transplanted on May 20th and
the last harvest took place on September 11th. The early production of the trans-
genic hybrids, consisting of the first three harvests, was significantly higher than
that of the untransformed hybrids (Table 2): P1 and P10 hybrids yielded, respec-
tively, 36% and 76% more than their corresponding controls, C1 and C10. The
difference in productivity between P1 and C1 hybrids, which have long-shaped
fruits, was caused by the higher average weight of GM fruits. When comparing
P10 and C10 hybrids, which have sub-oval fruits, the higher yield obtained with
GM plants during the early harvesting period was due to the increased number
of fruits per plant.