Bloom Boosters: Brinjal Flowering Quiz Quiz

Explore the important factors that affect flowering in brinjal crops, including environmental, nutritional, and management aspects. This quiz helps deepen your understanding of key issues growers face with brinjal flowering.

1. Temperature Effects on Brinjal Flowering

   How does exposure to temperatures below 15°C typically affect brinjal (eggplant) flowering in a horticultural setting?

   1. No effect on flowering
   2. Causes immediate fruit set
   3. Greatly increases flowering rate
   4. Reduces flowering and delays blooms

   Explanation: Cool temperatures below 15°C can suppress flowering in brinjal by slowing plant growth and delaying the transition to reproductive stage. While some crops may flower earlier in cool conditions, brinjal specifically slows down. 'Greatly increases flowering rate' is incorrect because low temperatures are not conducive for flowering in this crop. 'No effect on flowering' overlooks the plant's sensitivity to temperature, and 'causes immediate fruit set' skips the required flowering stage.

2. Role of Nitrogen in Flower Development

   What is a common consequence of excessive nitrogen fertilization in brinjal plants?

   1. More vegetative growth and fewer flowers
   2. Darker fruit color
   3. Increase in pest resistance
   4. Accelerated fruit ripening

   Explanation: Too much nitrogen promotes leafy growth at the expense of flowers in brinjal, reducing yield. 'Darker fruit color' and 'accelerated fruit ripening' are unrelated to nitrogen's main effect on flowering. 'Increase in pest resistance' can sometimes occur with balanced nutrition but is not the typical outcome of excessive nitrogen.

3. Water Stress and Flower Drop

   During dry spells, what symptom often appears in brinjal plants that experience water stress at the flowering stage?

   1. Enhanced seed germination
   2. Increased flowering and setting
   3. Thicker leaves
   4. Premature flower drop

   Explanation: Water stress during flowering in brinjal commonly leads to premature flower drop, reducing potential yield. 'Increased flowering and setting' is incorrect because stress usually reduces productivity. 'Enhanced seed germination' does not relate to established plants, and 'thicker leaves' is not a typical symptom under such conditions.

4. Photoperiod Sensitivity in Brinjal

   If brinjal plants are grown in regions with very short day lengths, what is a likely effect on flowering?

   1. Fruit size decreases significantly
   2. All plants become sterile
   3. Plants will only produce male flowers
   4. Flower initiation may be reduced

   Explanation: Brinjal is somewhat photoperiod sensitive; very short days can reduce flower initiation. 'Plants will only produce male flowers' is more typical in some cucurbits but not brinjal. 'All plants become sterile' and 'fruit size decreases significantly' may emerge for other reasons, but they are not direct results of short day lengths in brinjal.

5. Pest Impact on Flowering

   What common pest can directly cause brinjal flowers to drop before fruit set by feeding on buds and flowers?

   1. Fruit and Shoot Borer (Leucinodes orbonalis)
   2. Spider mites
   3. Aphids
   4. Root-knot nematode

   Explanation: The fruit and shoot borer is a notorious pest that damages buds and flowers, causing them to drop before fruit set. 'Aphids' and 'spider mites' generally weaken plants but rarely directly cause flower drop, while 'root-knot nematode' mainly affects roots rather than flowers.