During the winter months, our citizens do not consume especially important vegetables. They state that the vegetables are hormonal in the winter period and their color and shape are not uniform. To give brief information on the basis of species;
Since the weather is cloudy, rainy and less sunny in winter, it may not get full color most of the time and light red tomato fruits can be seen in the market. The full red color of the varieties depends on many factors such as climate, growing conditions, season, soil structure, as well as variety characteristics. If the same tomato variety is grown in summer or spring, crimson colored tomato fruits will be formed as the sun exposure will be high.
Pepper
Peppers can be consumed easily by anyone without any problems during winter months and at any time.
Pepper is an important type of vegetable rich in vitamin C, it stands out with its appetizing feature and there is no hormone use in pepper.
Eggplant can be easily consumed in winter months.
Eggplant fruits may be purple instead of black due to insufficient sun exposure. Today, breeding studies are carried out for eggplant varieties to have low-seeded or seedless varieties in fruit, and at the same time, dark black-colored eggplant varieties with a long shelf life are being developed. Therefore, studies are carried out to develop eggplant varieties with less seeds, darker colors and high quality fruits in winter months. Bumblebees are widely used as pollinators in eggplant production.
Cucumber (Cucumber)
Hormones are never used in cucumbers and peppers.
The fruits that develop and consume in cucumbers are parthenocapic fruits and can be consumed easily in winter months and in any period. The point that can be a problem in terms of consumption in cucumber is that the producer should pay attention to the spraying and harvesting periods of the cucumber.
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Cucumbers are harvested once every 3-4 days in the winter season and every other day in the summer months. Therefore, pesticides should be applied when necessary and on time by paying attention to the harvest time in the cucumber, and the pesticide residue ratio and amount in the fruit should be within acceptable limits at harvest.
Today, with the efforts of the Ministry, intensive studies have been made and continue to be done to reduce the effect of drug residues in cucumber and other plant species, which are much more important than hormones, and in fruit for a long time.
As a result of the studies carried out taking into account the consumer's demands, studies have been made and continue to be made to ensure that the pesticides used in vegetable production are those whose residues do not remain on the fruit for a long time before the harvest period. The use of drugs that leave drug residues for a long time and harm the environment and people is prohibited by the Ministry. Thus, less pesticides were used in vegetable production and the licenses of drugs that had a long-term residual effect were revoked.
Another important issue regarding drug residues is that today, big shopping centers support good agricultural practices and producers with good and quality products buy their products at higher prices and encourage the producers who produce good and quality products.
Drug residue is a more serious issue than the hormone issue, and much more important.
Because with the use of bumblebees in vegetable species such as tomatoes, peppers and eggplants, the use of hormones is almost gone. In the production of melons and watermelons, honey bees found in nature are used for pollination and fruit formation.
Sources
Ercan ÖZKAYNAK