A hybrid eggplant with excellent colour and taste.

• Very early maturing
• Excellent canopy to protect fruit against sunburn
• Good fruit setting under hot conditions
• Very uniform dark purple fruit
• Provide stability and adaptability

Type
Hybrid eggplant suited to open field or greenhouse production for the fresh market.

Maturity
BLACK KING is early maturing, approximately 70 - 80 days to first pick after transplanting in summer. The period to first pick can vary considerably between warm and cool season plantings.

Plant Characteristics
BLACK KING is a large, vigorous, productive plant with pale leaves protecting fruit against sunburn. Plant height varies between 100 - 140 cm.
Fruit Characteristics: BLACK KING has very high quality uniform smooth and glossy, dark purple coloured fruit. BLACK KING has large oval shaped fruit with an average mass of 500 - 600g. Fruit firmness is excellent.

Variety Characteristics
Plant Population: A plant population of 18,000 - 25,000 per hectare is recommended. Between row spacing of 0.9 – 1,5m and an in row spacing of 45 - 90cm would be adequate. For greenhouse production plants might need trellising.
Growing Guidelines: Eggplants prefer well drained loam to sandy loam soils, but perform well in different soil types. Soil PH: (H2O) - 5,5 - 6,8. The following program can be used as a nutrient guideline: (please note that a soil analysis should be taken into account).

Total Requirement kg/ha: (pure element)
N: 130 - 140kg/ha (45% applied at pre plant and the difference in 2 - 3 top dressings)
P: 60 - 95kg/ha (all pre plant)
K: 60 - 80kg/ha (all pre plant)

Climate Requirements: Eggplants are sensitive to frost, and require a long, warm to hot growing season for best results. Optimum growth and production is obtained with mean daily temperatures between 21°C and 29°C. At temperatures above 35°C, flowers may be shed. Growth, yield and fruit quality tend to decrease at mean temperatures below 18°C. When eggplants are grown in winter and early spring in frost-free areas, a dark discolouration of the flesh may occur and the skin colour may not develop well.

Features & Benefits
BLACK KING has good field tolerance to high temperatures and has a market acceptable size and colour.