Science Fair Projects

Are Organic Tomatoes More Susceptible to Mold than Conventionally Grown Tomatoes

Abstract

The objective: The hypothesis that I have tested is that organic tomato fruit are more susceptible to fungal infection than conventionally grown tomato fruit, because they are not protected with pesticides and herbicides during growth.

Methods/Materials

Conventionally grown and organic cherry tomato fruits (10 fruits/test) were compared for their susceptibility to a) spontaneous infection after puncturing, and b) to two common fruit molds, Botrytis and Cladosporium, after surface innoculation. Washed and unwashed samples of each class were compared, and the microbial populations in the surface washes were examined.

Results

Statistical analysis indicates that organic fruit were significantly more likely to grow mold at experimentally induced punture sites than conventionally grown fruit. On the other hand organic fruit were found to be significanlty less susceptible to experimental infection with Botrytis than conventionally grown fruits. There was no significant difference in the level of susceptibility to experimental Cladisporium infection between organically and conventially fruit. Through examination of the surface microbial flora from organic fruit, I was able to isolate a microbe that appeared to control Botrytis growth.

Conclusions/Discussion

Experiments described here show that organic tomatoes have a diverse microbial flora on their surface, compared to conventionally grown fruit. This microbial flora, coupled with fruit damage, seems to be responsible for the high incidence of black mold growth on organic fruits in the supermarket when compared to conventionally grown fruit. On the other hand this microbial flora on the surface of organic tomato fruit also seems to be responsible for decreased susceptibility of organic fruit to infection by the grey mold pathogen, Botrytis, when compared to conventionally grown fruit. A working model for both observations is proposed.

The science project is about the susceptability and control of microbial infections on organic and conventionally grown tomato fruit.

Science Fair Project done By Claire N. Bedbrook

 

Related Projects : Effects of Ocean Water as an Irrigation Supplement, Effects of Soil Sterilization on Pea Plant Growth, Environmentally Friendly Method to Suppress Weeds, Fire Water Balloon, Flying Tea Bag Rocket, Fooling Your Brain with a Mirror , Funny Diver, How do atoms and molecules arrange, How Does Caffeine Influence Soybean Plant Growth, How to Make a Balloon Dog, Human Machine , Ice with Boiling Water , Investigating Seed Tolerance for Freezing Temperatures, Is Garlic Antibacterial , Is It All Downhill from Here

 

<<Back To Topics Page........................................................................................>> Next Topic

 

 

Copyright © sciencefairprojects.co.in 2013 through 2015