Nature Friendly Agriculture by the Help of Education
Sinan İspir, Enka Schools (Turkey)
Meltem Çağla Şenocak, Enka Schools (Turkey)
Abstract
The human population is increasing rapidly due to improving health care applications and technological advancements. This rapid growth leads to some worldwide agricultural problems that need to be tackled. Today the usage of chemicial pesticides in agricultural fields is so high to nourish all of the population. However, pesticides harm living beings including humans and contaminate soil, water, natural sources while they fight against biological hazards. Our aim was to tackle a common fungal parasite (Botrytis cinerea) that causes grey mold disease on crops, by using calcium oxalate cristalles and Artemisia absinthium extract to decrease the demand of harmful chemical fungucide (a type of pesticide use to kill parasitic fungi). Calcium oxalate in plants such as spinach and celery is the main substance for protection against bacterias, fungi and insects. We obtained calcium oxalate from waste of spinach scapes and leaves because of its availability in our country. We observed the antifungal effect of Artemisia absinthum extract and calcium oxalate both together and seperately and concluded that usage of the mixture that we prepared by adding equal amount of both substances had the highest effect on Botrytis cinerea. The world needs some natural, cheap and practical ways to fight against agricultural hazards. Unfortunately the researches and projects are not abundant enough to stop the problem. It is not as hard as it seems when you know the basic experimental methods, biological information and scientific literature review to reach related articles. During the project, we used the basic experimental methods that we learned in genetics lessons such as growing bacteria in petri dishes, preparing broth; and knowledges that we obtained in biology lessons about structures of plants, fungi and environmental problems. We believe that students should benefit from scientific knowledges to produce promising solutions for twenty first century’s problems and agricultural issues should be included in curriculums to let students get to know it well in early age.
Keywords: agriculture, natural, pesticide, spinach, Artemisia absinthum, parasitic fungi;