Eggplant varieties that are most cultivated in the world

Hello to all gardeners! Do you know the different varieties of aubergine that are grown around the world? In today’s article we are going to talk about the types of aubergines that you can find in the markets. Many of them are sure to be very peculiar to you. Do not miss it!

Types of eggplants: classification

The  eggplant  (Scientific name: Solanum melongena ) belongs to the family  Solanaceae . This vegetable is an annual herbaceous plant, it comes from India  and currently, together with China, it is one of the countries with the highest production of eggplant. Its name comes from the Arabic word » al-badhinjan «.

At first, as with other crops, it was not widely accepted in society as it was associated with certain diseases. However, over the years it was cultivated in many countries around the world until it is currently one of the  most consumed vegetables.

There are many criteria when it comes to classifying vegetables. This time we will base ourselves on the morphological features of the aubergine varieties : color, shape, size, etc.

1. Round aubergines

As the name suggests, they are rounded aubergines with a more flattened shape than the rest. In general they are quite productive varieties. They normally have an average weight of 300-400 grams but they can double the weight on occasion.

Within this category we can find several varieties such as: Aubergine Bonica (Catalonia), Rondona or Black Beauty.

2. Elongated aubergines

These types of varieties differ very well from the rest because they are thin and elongated aubergines , as you can see in the photo. They are usually purple in color. I discovered them recently at a Fruit and Vegetable Fair held in Madrid called Fruit Attraction.

These varieties are not very abundant. They usually have an average weight between 200-300 grams. Some of the best known varieties of this type of aubergines are: Mirabelle Aubergine, Helena Aubergine, Mileda Aubergine or Viserba Aubergine.

Did you already know this type of elongated aubergines ?

Within these varieties I would like to highlight one known as subway aubergine. The subway aubergine is a particularly long and thin variety, measuring up to 40 centimeters.

3. Intermediate aubergines

Those varieties that are most seen in all food stores are known as intermediate aubergines . They usually have a shiny black color. They are larger than round aubergines and thicker than long ones.

The intermediate varieties are highly productive varieties and are well adapted to the both outdoors and in the greenhouse. Some well-known names of this type of aubergines are: Paula, Diva, Cava, Rima, Cristal, Shakira or Monarka.

Here you have a photo of one of these classic aubergines:

4. Listed aubergines

One of the most characteristic varieties is undoubtedly the listed aubergines. These aubergines differ from the rest by having a purple color with white spots. Their production is later than the rest but they are still productive. The average weight is around 300 grams. They are normally grown in the open air and are quite vigorous plants.

The best known varieties with these characteristics are: Leire, Angela, Bandera or the Sicilian Eggplant.

5. Other varieties of eggplant

Finally, I would like to mention another type of aubergine varieties that are very peculiar around the world.

White eggplant : protected varieties of eggplant

The white eggplant is a variety from a zone of Barcelona called Bages. It is characterized by its white color, smooth skin and being rounded. Some time ago we dedicated an article to this very special variety, I leave it here in case you want to take a look: White aubergine How to save a dying vegetable?

The white eggplant has a sweet, softer than the rest of eggplant flavor. The crop cycle is shorter. The energy content is low since most of the vegetable is water.

Hindu Eggplant

Another very characteristic variety is the Indian aubergine. We have previously commented that aubergines have their origin in India, so there we can find many local varieties. This eggplant, as you can see in the photo, has a globose shape, dark color and is widely used to make snacks.

Recipe with aubergine

I couldn’t finish this article without sharing with you a recipe with eggplant as the main ingredient. Eggplant has always been one of my favorite vegetables. For this reason, I want to leave you here a recipe that we make a lot at home. We call it «aubergine pizza» or «stuffed aubergines.»

Ingredients:

• Aubergines
• Ketchup
• Grated cheese to melt
• Oregano
• Salt
• Extra virgin olive oil

Cut the aubergines lengthwise 1cm thick. We add salt on both sides. We bake 10 minutes at 180 degrees. We cover with tomato, grated cheese and oregano. You can also add other ingredients such as bacon, ham, minced meat, onion, mushrooms or other types of cheeses.

Once the ingredients are placed, they will bake for 5 more minutes at 200 degrees. And… Ready to eat! You will tell me if you have tried it in your homes.

Bibliographic references

• Cajamar Caja Rural. José Vicente Maroto Borrego and Carlos Baixauli Soria. 2017. Outdoor horticultural crops .
• Fruit Attraction Madrid 2019
• White aubergine Crowdfunding project on the Lanzanos platform  .
• Baixauli, C. (1997): «Aubergine cultivation»; Experimental trial of varieties (I and II) (9 and 10). Valencian Agrarian Community, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.
• Giner, A .; Aguilar, JM; Núñez, A .; Baixauli, C. and Nájera, I. (2014): «Study of new intermediate length black and smooth eggplant cvs»; Agrícola Vergel (377); pp. 268-271.

This is all for today, I hope you liked the article and that from now on we know that there are many different varieties of eggplant .

Anyway, we always like to remember that it is preferable to consume your local varieties. Local varieties are those that are best adapted to each territory and avoid transporting food from different parts of the world to the place of consumption.

Have a nice day!