Pesticide use in Turkish greenhouses: health and environmental consciousness

This paper analyzes perceptions and practice of randomly selected Turkish farmers regarding pest management on the basis of interviews and observation. The main aim of the paper is to reveal the knowledge levels and practice of farmers on various issues related to pest applications in vegetable cultivation in greenhouses. The analysis showed that there is a strong relationship between environmental consciousness and socio-economic variables and type of greenhouse, plastic or glass. Farmers know that excessive and inappropriate application of pesticides can damage crops and might be harmful to human health. However, they are not sufficiently informed about the reciprocal relationship between the environment and agricultural pesticide use.