Analysis of the factors affecting biological control in sustainable greenhouse production

The research; In the five central districts of Antalya, Biological Control (BC) practices were carried out in at least two greenhouse crop cultivations and training was given on the UN, in Aksu and Konyaaltı districts, where the projects were carried out, to determine the reasons for the farmers' application and preference of biological control and the reasons for giving up or not applying for the application. The main material of the research consists of the primary data obtained from the producers who applied BC in Aksu and Konyaaltı districts in the 2020-2021 growing seasons and from a total of 103 enterprises that applied and left BC between the years 2014-2021. The data of the study was collected through face-to-face interviews and the results were presented by calculating Chi-square, frequency, percentage and mean values. In the study, besides the personal information such as age, educational status, and income; the producers were asked questions which would guide our study such as identifying information about the business who were preferring and giving up biological control. It has been accepted that the enterprises who subject to the study have knowledge about the subject, since they have received training on the BC. While all of the manufacturers which implement the BC are members of a producer organization, this rate drops to 80% in those who do not. Although most of the farmers know the climate, soil and importance of biological control within the principles of sustainable agriculture, they stated that the application will not be successful unless regional application is made. In terms of the production costs of BC practices, 56.3% of the producers stated that there was no difference, while 28.2% reported that the costs had decreased and there was a difference. Among the reasons for preferring BC applications, residue problem was in the first place with 12.8%, while ease of struggle with 12.5% was in the second place and human health was the third with 12.1%. It has been determined that supports, market and price advantage, and technical knowledge and experience are the most important factors in the dissemination of BC practices, respectively, and the high price of chemicals used with the BC has emerged as the worst disadvantage.