Environmental Impact Assessment of Organic and Conventional Agriculture

Abstract

The target of this search is to identify the environmental conditions of the traditional and organic farms to protect natural ecosystems to minimize environmental pollution and save sustainable productivity. Farms under study were organic and conventional. Samples were collected from organic and conventional farms located in Cairo - Alexandria Desert Road and Cairo - Fayoum Desert Road.A total of 21 samples of fruits (Red grapes, yellow grapes, Pear, Orange); vegetables (Garlic, Onion, Cabbage, Alfalfa, Pea, Bean,Tomato,and Cucumber); Medical and aromatic plants (Mint, Lemon grass, Chamomile,Chrysanthemum, Fennel); Cereal (Wheat, Maize, Sorghum) and Oil crop (Sesame) were collected randomly from different farms during year 2017.Desirable substances (sugar, vit c, phenol and flavonoid) were determined. Undesirable substances [Gibbrillic acid (Gib), α- naphthalene acetic acid (α-NAA); naphthalene acetamide (NAD);6-benzylaminopurine(6-BA); 2,4- Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and Ethephon (Eth)] residue compared with Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) were determined. Data indicated that organically grown crops (fruits, vegetables and medical aromatic plant) had a higher nutritional value (sugar, vit c, phenol and flavonoid) compared to non-organically grown crops. The results observed that the content of protein in organic crops was lower than inorganic crops. Data showed that conventional crops had higher values of synthetic growth regulators than organic crops. It was found that 58.6% of the traditional and 5.3% of organic sample exceeded the MRL values, while 25.16% of the traditional and 21.6% of the organic samples had measurable residues at the MRL value, whereas 8.2% of the traditional and 73.0% of the organic sample have measurable residue below the MRL value.