Effects of the use of blue covering material and bumbus bees on plant development: Tomato (Solanum lycopersium) example

This thesis study was conducted in three arch-roofed plastic greenhouses located on the campus of Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, each with a base area of 36 m² and a height of 2 m. The aim of the research was to investigate the effects of blue-colored covering material and the use of bumblebees on the growth parameters and yield values of tomato plants during cultivation. In this context, a control greenhouse with transparent plastic covering material (K), a greenhouse with blue-painted plastic covering material (M), and a greenhouse containing bumblebees with blue-painted covering material (MB) were utilized. The tomato plant (Solanum Lycopersicum) was used in the experiment. The study was carried out from September 2023 to March 2024. Throughout the development process, temperature, humidity, and radiation values within the greenhouse were measured. Radiation, temperature, and humidity values in all three greenhouses were recorded at one-minute intervals between 10:00 and 16:00. When evaluating all data obtained during the cultivation period, the general average temperature values inside the greenhouses were measured as 18,85 °C (K), 17,39 °C (MB), and 18,36 °C (M). The radiation values were found to be 295.73 W/m² (K), 254.96 W/m² (MB) and 248.59 W/m² (M). The humidity values were 61.32% (K), 64.42% (MB), and 63.35% (M). The application of blue paint in the blue-covered greenhouses had a shading effect, resulting in lower radiation and temperature values compared to the control greenhouse. The elevated humidity levels were attributed to the growth of plants within the greenhouse and the excess green biomass. When examining measurements of SPAD (Soil Plant Analysis Development), plant height, stem diameter, equivalent plant diameter, total yield, and firmness values, it was observed that the total yield in the MB greenhouse was higher compared to the other greenhouses. This was believed to be due to the selection of blue color, which enhances photosynthesis, as well as the presence of bees that accelerates pollination within the greenhouse. The M application yielded higher results compared to the control greenhouse as well. Additionally, approximately a 12% increase in yield was observed in the greenhouse without bees. In conclusion, it is believed that the use of blue covering material and bumblebees will result in better outcomes in terms of plant height, growth, and yield values, positively influencing development. According to the results obtained, it was concluded that MB application will support plant growth.