Agricultural practices, biology and quality of eggplant cultivated in Central Europe. A review

The eggplant is a warm-climate crop of high economic importance. In many Asian and Mediterranean countries, eggplants are essential components of everyday dishes, while in Central Europe they have become popular only in recent years. Eggplants are harvested at an immature stage and have low storage value; therefore, the sale of fruits in local markets requires an appropriate production strategy. In Poland, consumer demand for eggplants is currently met by imports and domestic production, which, until recently, has been carried out only in greenhouses, ensuring the availability of fresh fruits but resulting in high selling prices. The demand for eggplants is growing among Polish consumers, and, accordingly, field production is expected to gradually gain in importance due to the fruit's profitability. Accordingly, the biology and farming practices of this warm-climate crop remain in the investigation phase in temperate climate. This review aims to report the status of current knowledge regarding the technologies affecting the biology, cultivation, and nutritional value of eggplant grown in temperate climatic zone.