The brinjal , also knows as "Guinea squash," is a member
of the nightshade family, along with the tomato, pepper, and potato.
The plant is grown for its purple fruits that are usually baked, boiled,
or fried.
The common large-fruited forms are believed to have originated in
India, with a possible secondary center of origin in China for the small-fruited
types.
Although several different types of eggplants are grown around the
world, they are not considered as major crop except in Asia, where the
plants are grown on a fairly wide scale in China, India, and Japan.
It is one of the most common vegetables grown throughout the Country.
This can be grown successfully under the climatic conditions prevailing
in South India and the Deccan Plateau.
It comes up well even in hilly regions where the temperature does
not come down below 5o C.
The brinjal is believed to have been domesticated in north-eastern
India where wild forms still grow.
The seeds were carried to China more than 1500 years ago where small
fruited types were later developed.
It was introduced from India by early traders from Arabia and Persia
to the countries of the eastern and southern shores of the Mediterranean
early in the Middle ages.
Portuguese colonies took it to Brazil. It is now widely cultivated
for its fruits in the tropical, subtropical and warm temperate zones,
especially in southern Europe and the southern United States.
In 1806, it was introduced to American gardens primarily as an ornamental
curiosity and was probably introduced into Europe during the Moorish
invasion of Spain.
It gained popularity in 1890s, as minor vegetable.
The ancestral form was very likely a spiny plant with small, bitter
fruit, but selection for improved palatability and for relative spinelessness
resulted in gradual emergence of an acceptable type.
Brinjal has been cultivated for many centuries in India, Bangladesh,
Pakistan, China, Arabia and Philippines.
There are several names by which the crop is known in India, but brinjal
is the most familiar. Brinjal is also called 'eggplant' or 'aubergine'.
The name eggplant is believed to derive from Gerard's description
of early forms with small, white fruit resembling eggs.
In early years, eggplant was also termed 'Male insana' and
the 'Italian Melazana', both of which translate to "made apple".
History
