The seedling quality affects the plant performance in the field and proper techniques can increase the productivity of vegetables. The objective of this study was to evaluate the production of eggplant seedlings, cultivar Embu, under protected environments, containers and substrates, and its development in the field at the State University of Mato Grosso do Sul, in Aquidauana, Brazil. For seedlings production, each environment was considered an experiment, which was carried out in a completely randomized design, in split-plot scheme (containers x substrates), with eight replications. Subsequently we realized joint analysis of the experiments to compare the environments. In the field, the design was in randomized blocks using four replications. The seedlings were grown in the protected environments: greenhouse covered with polyethylene film, light diffuser, 150 micron, and nursery monofilament screen with 50% of shading (Sombrite®). Inside environments, polystyrene trays with 72 cells and 128 cells were tested. The containers were filled with six substrates, from the combination of cattle manure and cassava stems. In the field were distributed 24 treatments generated from combinations of three factors. In both environments, the best seedlings are formed in trays with 72 cells. For two trays the best seedlings are formed in the greenhouse. In greenhouse, the substrate with 80% cattle manure and 20% of cassava stems promoted better growth of seedlings. In the screened, beyond this substrate, seedlings produced in the substrate with 100% manure showed higher vigor. For all substrates, the best seedlings are formed in tray with 72 cells inside the greenhouse. In the field the combination, "greenhouse + 72 cell tray + 80% manure and 20% cassava stems" was where the plants had better growth and productivity.
Solanum melongena; protected cultivation; trays; cattle manure; cassava stems
