Cultivated eggplants – origin, breeding objectives and genetic resources, a review

Brinjal eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is an agronomically important nontuberous crop of Solanaceae family, native to southern India, and widely grown in Americas, Europe and Asia. Its close relatives: S. aethiopicum (scarlet eggplant) and S. macrocarpon (Gboma eggplant) are of African origin. Brinjal eggplant is a new vegetable in Poland. Until recently it was grown only in glasshouse conditions. Breeding of new eggplant cultivars and improvement of growing technology resulted in the increase of both cultivation acreage and consumption scale in Poland. For an efficient development of eggplant breeding programmes it is necessary to collect information concerning the characteristics and variety of eggplant genetic resources. The present publication includes detailed taxonomy of eggplant and its relatives, their origin and history of growing. The information connected with eggplant worldwide genetic resources and breeding objectives have been presented. Different propositions for cultivar grouping and the characteristics of selected cultivars have been taken into consideration. Agnieszka Sękara, Stanisław Cebula, Edward Kunicki 98