Benjamin Azu Okorley

1 Introduction The global human population is anticipated to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, necessitating a 50% increase in crop output from current levels (Matteoli et al. 2020). African eggplant (Solanum aethiopicum group gilo) is a vital vegetable crop consumed by millions of people in Africa and, to a minor extent, in Europe and Latin America (Han et al. 2021).

1 Introduction African eggplant (AEP) (Solanum aethiopicum), belonging to the Solanaceae family, is one of the important vegetable crops in Africa. It is an essential nutritional and medicinal resource as well as a valuable rootstock for tomato and eggplant grafting (Han et al. 2021). AEPs are classified into four subgroups based on usage: Gilo, Kumba, Shum and Aculeatum (Han et al. 2021).