Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-gtxcr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-19T15:22:20.867Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Organic cucumber production in the greenhouse: A case study from Turkey

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 February 2007

Y. Tuzel ,
A. Gul ,
O. Tuncay ,
D. Anac ,
N. Madanlar ,
Z. Yoldas ,
M. Gumus ,
I.H. Tuzel  and
S. Engindeniz
Y. Tuzel*
Affiliation:
Departments of Horticulture, Ege University Faculty of Agriculture, 35100, Bornova, Izmir/Turkey
A. Gul
Affiliation:
Departments of Horticulture, Ege University Faculty of Agriculture, 35100, Bornova, Izmir/Turkey
O. Tuncay
Affiliation:
Departments of Horticulture, Ege University Faculty of Agriculture, 35100, Bornova, Izmir/Turkey
D. Anac
Affiliation:
Departments of Soil Science, Ege University Faculty of Agriculture, 35100, Bornova, Izmir/Turkey
N. Madanlar
Affiliation:
Departments of Plant Protection, Ege University Faculty of Agriculture, 35100, Bornova, Izmir/Turkey
Z. Yoldas
Affiliation:
Departments of Plant Protection, Ege University Faculty of Agriculture, 35100, Bornova, Izmir/Turkey
M. Gumus
Affiliation:
Departments of Plant Protection, Ege University Faculty of Agriculture, 35100, Bornova, Izmir/Turkey
I.H. Tuzel
Affiliation:
Departments of Agricultural Structure and Irrigation, Ege University Faculty of Agriculture, 35100, Bornova, Izmir/Turkey
S. Engindeniz
Affiliation:
Departments of Agricultural Economics, Ege University Faculty of Agriculture, 35100, Bornova, Izmir/Turkey
*
*Corresponding author: tuzel@ziraat.ege.edu.tr
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Organic farming seems to be a solution in environmentally sensitive zones such as the protection zone of Tahtalı Dam, which supplies fresh water to Izmir, the third largest city in Turkey. Greenhouse vegetable production is the major agricultural activity in this area (Menderes Township). However, due to the pollution risk from agriculture, governmental authorities have issued a regulation discouraging the use of chemicals within the collection basin of the dam. An on-farm project was conducted in 2001 to introduce organic greenhouse vegetable production in the Tahtalı Dam preservation area and to serve as a model for other areas in Turkey facing similar ecological problems. Two irrigation levels and four organic fertilizers were tested on the growth of cucumbers (Cucumis sativus cv. Sardes). The four fertilizers were two rates of farmyard and poultry manure (30 and 50 tons ha−1) with and without two organic fertilizers based on either bacteria or algae. During the growing period, pests and diseases were monitored weekly and preparations allowed in organic agriculture were used when necessary. Plant diseases did not create any significant problem, but the pest population, in particular spidermites, increased. No significant differences in cucumber yield were found between the fertilizer and irrigation treatments tested. However, it should be noted that yields from the addition of 30 tons ha−1 of farmyard or poultry manure and organic fertilizers were the same as those for 50 tons ha−1 of manure alone. The average total yield was 13 kg m−2, within an acceptable range for short-term crop production in this region, but 55% lower than a conventional substrate culture trial nearby. However, due to reduced production costs and a price premium for organic products, the organic produce yielded a net return of US$1.12–1.79 per m2 whereas that for conventional bag culture produce was US$0.55 per m2. Our results indicate that, under present conditions, organic greenhouse cucumber production has less environmental impact and is more economic than conventional bag culture, due to reduced chemical input and reduced operating and initial investment costs.

Keywords

irrigationorganic fertilizerfarmyard manurepoultry manure
Type
Research Article
Information
Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems , Volume 20 , Issue 4 , December 2005 , pp. 206 - 213
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2005

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1Ilter, E., Aksoy, U., Anac, D., Tuzel, Y., Anac, S., Bulbul, S., and Altindisli, A. 1996. Introduction of organic agriculture to the preservation area of Tahtalı Dam. UNDP Global Environment Facility NGO Small Grants Programme. ETO, İzmir-Turkey.Google Scholar
2Aksoy, U. 1995. Sustainable agriculture: Mediterranean praxis. Report of the First Agrophoria Workshop, 18–21 October, Izmir-Turkey.Google Scholar
3Tuzel, Y., Tuncay, O., Anac, D. and Tuzel, I.H. 2001. Effects of different organic fertilizers and irrigation levels on yield and quality of organically grown greenhouse tomatoes. In Hanafi, A., Kenny, L (eds). Organic Agriculture in the Mediterranean Basin. I'IAV Hassan II, Morocco p. 285–298Google Scholar
4Greer, L. and Diver, S. 2000. Organic Greenhouse Vegetable Production. Horticulture Production Guide. Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas, Fayetteville.Google Scholar
5FAO 2002. FAO expert group workshop on the preparation of technical guidelines on the organic cultivation of tropical and subtropical fruits, 22–26 July, Kuala Lumpur-Malaysia.Google Scholar
6Flegg, M. and Hooper, D.J. 1970. Extraction of free-living stages from soil. In Southey, I. F. (ed.). Laboratory Methods for Work with Plant and Soil Nematodes. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London. p. 5–22Google Scholar
7Zeck, W.M. 1971. A rating schema for field evaluation of root-knot nematode infestation. Pflanzenschutz Rechrichten Bayer 10 141–144Google Scholar
8Hood, K. and Snyder, R. 1999. Budget for Greenhouse Tomatoes. Extension Service of Mississippi State University, Mississippi.Google Scholar
9Schatzer, R.J., McCraw, D., Al-Abdulkador, A. and Mapp, H.P. 1994. The economics of bag culture greenhouse tomatoes in Oklahoma. Current Farm Economics 12: 29–40Google Scholar
10Engindeniz, S. and Tuzel, Y. 2002. The economic analysis of organic tomato production: A case study for Turkey. Agro-Food HiTech, Sept./Oct.:26–30.Google Scholar
11FIBL 2004. Available at Web site http://www.fibl.org/english/research/annual-crops/dok/yields.php (verified 10 November 2004).Google Scholar
12Huang, S.S., Tai, S.F., Chen, T.C., and Huang, S.N. 1993. Comparison of crop production as influenced by organic and conventional farming systems. Horticultural Abstracts19940705438.Google Scholar
13Alfoldi, T., Lockeretz, W., and Niggli, U. 2000. The nutritive and sensory quality of carrots and white cabbage from organic and conventional farms. IFOAM 2000: The World Grows Organic. Proceedings of the 13th International IFOAM Scientific Conference, Basle, Switzerland, 28–31 August.Google Scholar
14Fjelkener-Modig, S., Bengtsson, H., Stegmark, R. and Nystrom, S. 2000. The influence of organic and integrated production on nutritional, sensory and agricultural aspects of vegetable raw materials for food production. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica. Section B, Soil and Plant Science 50 102–113Google Scholar
15Tuzel, Y., Yagmur, B. and Gümüs, M. 2003. Organic tomato production under greenhouse conditions. Acta Horticulturae 614 775–780CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16Gul, A., Tuzel, Y., Sevgican, A., Tuncay, O., Oztan, F., Engindeniz, S., Tuzel, I.H., Meric, K., Anac, D., Okur, B., Yagmur, B., Ongun, A.R., Duyar, H., Eltez, R.Z., Aykut, N., and Gulcin, H. 2002. Tahtalı Barajı Koruma Havzasındaki Seralarda Topraksız Tarım Tekniginin Kullanımı [Practices on soilless growing technique in the preservation area of the Tahtalı Dam]. TUBITAK-Tarp No: 2880–2, Project Report, Izmir-Turkey.Google Scholar
17Danish Research Center for Organic Farming (DARCOF). 2004. Available at Web site http://www.darcof.dk/research/darcofii/i1.html (verified 10 November 2004).Google Scholar
18Baspinar, H., Cakmak, I., and Oncuer, C. 2000. Melia azedarach L. su ekstraktinin bazi zararlilara etkisi [The effect of water extract of Melia azedarach L. on some pests]. Proceedings of the Fourth Turkish National Congress of Entomology, 12–15 September, Aydın-Turkey. p. 295–304.Google Scholar
19Madanlar, N., Yoldas, Z. and Durmusoglu, E. 2000. Laboratory investigations on some natural pesticides for use against pests in vegetable greenhouses. Integrated Control in Protected Crops, Mediterranean Climate, IOBC WPRS Bulletin 23 281–288Google Scholar
20Madanlar, N., Yoldas, Z., Durmusoglu, E. and Gul, A. 2002. Izmir'de sebze seralarinda zararlilara karsi dogal pestisitlerle savas olanaklari [Investigations on the natural pesticides against pests in vegetable greenhouses in Izmir-Turkey]. Turkish Entomology Journal 26 181–195Google Scholar