Journal of Agronomy and Field Innovations

Background: Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is a globally important solanaceous vegetable valued for its nutritional richness, dietary fiber, and phenolic antioxidant content. Despite its commercial significance, eggplant fruits are highly perishable, undergoing rapid softening, weight loss, and microbial decay during postharvest storage. Calcium plays a pivotal role in maintaining cell wall integrity and membrane stability, yet conventional calcium fertilizers suffer from poor solubility, low uptake efficiency, and antagonistic soil interactions that limit their agronomic effectiveness.
Objective: This study aimed to develop and evaluate nano-calcium formulations for enhancing fruit growth, calcium accumulation, biochemical quality, and postharvest shelf life of eggplant, in comparison with conventional calcium fertilization.
Methods: A field experiment was conducted using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with five treatments—control, conventional calcium chloride, and low, medium, and high concentrations of a synthesized calcium-based nanoformulation—each replicated four times. Nanoparticles were characterized for particle size, zeta potential, morphology, crystallinity, and functional groups. Foliar and soil-applied nano-calcium treatments were assessed for effects on plant growth, yield, fruit firmness, calcium content, total soluble solids, vitamin C, phenolics, antioxidant activity, weight loss, decay incidence, and shelf life, with data analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey's HSD test.
Results: Medium and high nano-calcium treatments significantly improved fruit firmness, calcium accumulation, and antioxidant activity relative to the control and conventional fertilizer treatments (P < 0.05). Shelf life increased by approximately 40–55%, while weight loss and decay percentage were substantially reduced. Yield and biochemical quality parameters also showed marked improvement under nano-calcium application.
Conclusion: Nano-calcium formulations offer a more efficient and sustainable alternative to conventional calcium fertilizers for improving eggplant fruit quality and extending postharvest shelf life, supporting their integration into precision horticultural nutrient management systems.