Little leaf of brinjal Little leaf of brinjal Little leaf of brinjal or eggplant ("Solanum melongena" L.) is one of the most serious diseases of brinjal in the areas of its cultivation. Little leaf of brinjal is known to cause heavy economic losses in India. As the name indicates, symptoms of the disease include shortening of the petioles and production of leaves which are much smaller in size. Petioles are so short that leaves seem to be glued to the stem. They become soft and glabrous and somewhat yellow in colour. Affected plants do not bear any flowers or fruits if infection is in
Vegetable countries. The scale of production varies from subsistence farmers supplying the needs of their family for food, to agribusinesses with vast acreages of single-product crops. Depending on the type of vegetable concerned, harvesting the crop is followed by grading, storing, processing, and marketing. Vegetables can be eaten either raw or cooked and play an important role in human nutrition, being mostly low in fat and carbohydrates, but high in vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. Many nutritionists encourage people to consume plenty of fruit and vegetables, five or more portions a day often being recommended. The word "vegetable" was first recorded