The eggplant turns yellow: What to do with an eggplant with yellow leaves or fruit

Eggplants are certainly not for all gardeners, but for the brave souls who love them, the appearance of berries on young plants is one of the most eagerly awaited moments of early summer. If these plants begin to show signs of problems, such as yellow fruit or leaves, knowing how to repair the yellow eggplant will help keep your crop on track.

Yellow Eggplant

Most people think of large, waxy, purple fruits when they think of an eggplant. Although many eggplants are purple, not all varieties produce this iconic fruit color. The color of eggplant fruit can range from pale green to deep purple that appears black, including many that appear in shades of yellow, or even white. If you have never grown a specific variety before, yellow may simply be the color of your plant’s fruit.
Light colored eggplants tend to turn yellow as they approach a state of over-ripeness. If this color appears on large eggplants, but not on small ones, try to harvest the fruit earlier.
Another common cause of yellowing of eggplants is sunburn, which occurs when the leaves are damaged or removed, exposing the skin of tender young fruit to excess sunlight.
ultraviolet radiation. This damage may be in the form of tanning cream stains, or may cover the entire exposed surface of the fruit.

Eggplant with yellow leaves

Yellowing of the eggplant may indicate more serious problems if the yellowing is in the leaves. Spider mites and laces can cause yellowing when they feed on the leaves of the plant. When insect populations increase, these damaged leaves may fall off or dry out, causing sunburn on the fruit. Both pests can be controlled with a premixed insecticidal soap applied once a week until all signs of pests have disappeared.
Leaf yellowing is often due to maintenance problems such as irregular watering or lack of nitrogen in the soil. Plants that do not receive enough water may initially wilt in the middle of the day and then turn yellow as water stress increases. Apply two to four cm of organic mulch and water these plants more frequently, preferably in the morning.
Eggplants that develop general yellowing may need nitrogen – a soil test will quickly reveal if this is the case. A balanced dose of fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, will quickly remedy this situation. If the soil pH is too high or too low, your plant won’t be able to use the soil nitrogen, no matter how much you apply.
Late blight and Verticillium wilt are caused by common soil-borne pathogenic fungi. Both diseases appear suddenly, sometimes affecting only part of the plant at first. Eventually the yellowing will spread to the entire plant, as it dies from an inability to transport nutrients to its tissues. These fungal diseases are difficult or impossible to treat, but copper-based fungicides and chlorothalonil are labeled as a pre-treatment for late blight. Crop rotation is an effective prevention without chemicals.
Eggplant viruses can cause yellow circles, spots or other irregular patterns on eggplant leaves. Many plant viruses are transmitted by insect pests when they feed, or by plant-to-plant contact through dirty tools. Plant viruses are incurable, so be sure to remove infected plants immediately and destroy them to prevent further spread.