In order to grow eggplant, a certain amount of mineral nutrients is needed to meet plant requirements at the initial phase of growth; with the absence of some nutrients, its physiological responses become compromised. This research aimed to study the physiological responses and initial growth of eggplant under nutrient omission in nutrient solution. The experiment was carried out in 2023 at the Fundação Educacional de Andradina located in the municipality of Andradina, state of São Paulo (Brazil). The experimental design was completely randomized, with nutrient exclusion of magnesium (Mg), boron (B), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), or copper (Cu) plus a control group with the supply of all mineral nutrients, with four replicates totaling 20 plots. Magnesium exclusion caused greater damage to the initial growth of eggplant in nutrient solution, with a 33.76% reduction in the concentrations of chlorophylls a and b; the contents of chlorophylls correlated with the concentration of organic nitrogen in the leaves. Boron exclusion caused deformations of leaf blades.