ABSTRACT
To create resilience city under the climate change impacts, the most successful strategy is urban agriculture. The need for satisfying food security, safety and accessibility becomes an urgent under Covid 19 epidemic.
Three fertilizing source (nutrient solution, mineral fertilizer and vermi-liquid) combined with two pots volume 6 and 8 liters of standard substrate peat moss: perlite (50:50) were evaluated on yield and fruit of eggplant during two successive summer seasons of 2019 and 2020 at the Central Laboratory for Agricultural Climate, Agricultural Research Center, Dokki, Giza Governorate. The study was aimed to investigate the eggplant production (yield and quality) under urban conditions in substrate culture (safety and economic). The number of total fruit for each plant was regularly counted during the harvested period. The total number of the leaves was counted during vegetative harvested period. Fruit diameter (cm) and fruit length (cm) was measured. Average of fruit weight (g) was calculated by marketable fruits weight divided to total number of the fruits, and N, P and K contents of eggplant were estimated beside determined the economic use.
The obtained results indicated that, the amounts and balance among the different essential nutrients led to enhance the vegetative growth and yield of eggplant compared to the rest fertilizer source. Chemical nutrient solution recorded the highest vegetative growth and yield characteristics of eggplant while the lowest results were given by vermi-liquid. While nutrient solution and mineral fertilizer increased N, P and K contents of eggplant compared to the vermi- liquid treatment. Increasing pot volume from 6 to 8 L of substrate led to increase the vegetative growth, yield characteristics of eggplant and N, P and K contents of eggplant. The highest vegetative growth, yield characteristics and N, P and K (%) content of eggplant were given by chemical nutrient solution combined with pots volume 8 L.
The use of vermi-liquid as a fertilizer source and pot volume 6 L performed a sustainable and economic impacts of urban horticulture under climate change impacts and to ensure food security under Covid 19 epidemic.