Plants In Turkey Research Articles

Investigation of Cytotoxic Effects of Tragopogon reticulatus Against HepG2 and MCF-7 Cell Lines and Antioxidant, Antimicrobial Effects Against Some Microorganisms

Plants have been used for various purposes throughout history. This subject has received increasing attention in the field of traditional medicine in recent years. Tragopogon reticulatus, as a forage grass plant in turkey, is a species that stands out with rich vitamin and mineral content. The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic activities of T. reticulatus. Two separate extracts were prepared at different concentrations using hexane and methanol solvents obtained from the T. reticulatus plant, and cytotoxic activity was evaluated by the MTT Assay (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) method on human liver cancer (HepG2) and human breast cancer (MCF7) cell lines. The antioxidant activity of the extracts obtained from methanol and hexane was determined by the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl 1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging capacity method. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated by the disk diffusion method, and bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Bacillus megaterium, and Candida albicans fungus were used in the study. The hexane extract obtained from the T. reticulatus plant showed a high cytotoxic activity of 44% in the MCF7 cell line, while it showed a 51% dead cell count in the HepG2 cell line. When the antioxidant results were evaluated, it was determined that the DPPH radical scavenging effect of the hexane extract exhibited the most effective activity at 19%. When the antimicrobial results were evaluated, it was determined that the concentrations prepared with hexane exhibited the most effective activity with a zone diameter of 16 mm against B. megaterium. These findings suggest that T. reticulatus plant extracts can be considered as a potential source. These results may shed light on future research into the biological effects of the plant and contribute to the development of new treatment methods.

Work-Life Conflict, Burnout, and Associated Factors Among Hydroelectric Power Plant Employees: A Cross-Sectional Study in Turkey.

Power plants are associated with numerous occupational health and safety risk factors, with psychosocial risks being particularly significant. This study examines work-life conflict and burnout among power plant employees and discusses the factors associated with these issues. This cross-sectional study focused on employees at three hydroelectric power plants in Turkey. The inclusion criteria included employees with at least one year of tenure. Using cluster sampling, three plants were selected in Adana, Ankara, and Samsun. The sample size was determined to be 262, and 201 employees participated, yielding a 76.7% response rate. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire, which encompasses the sub-dimensions of a valid and reliable scale: The Work-Life Conflict and Burnout sub-dimensions of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire-III (COPSOQ-III) were used to measure the dependent variables. The independent variables included age, education level, total and weekly working hours, perceived health status, and department. The dependent variables were work-life conflict and burnout. Ethical approval was obtained from the Gazi University Ethics Committee. Statistical analysis compared the Pearson chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and Yates correction with a significance threshold of p < 0.05. The mean age was 40.83 years, with an average tenure of 11.54 years and a weekly work time of 43.51 hours. Most participants (94.5%) were male; technical unit workers comprised 71.6%. Health issues included smoking (39.8%) and chronic diseases (19.9%). Concerns about the working environment include insufficient knowledge about safety (25.4%) and lack of knowledge about risk assessments (32.3%). Many workers reported lacking personal protective equipment (11.4%) and rest areas (15.4%). Negative health impacts from work were noted by 31.8%. In addition, 51.2% believed that noise levels were outside the acceptable range. Two-thirds of employees reported inadequate measures against physical risks in the workplace. Many participants experienced work-life conflict (13.9%) and burnout (14.5%). High work-life conflict was significantly associated with younger age groups, less tenure, and negative perceived health status. Burnout was significantly related to the duration of employment, weekly working hours, and perceived health status. The study highlights the seriousness of burnout and work-life conflict among hydropower plant workers, emphasizing the need for administrative and organizational interventions to alleviate these issues. Regular occupational health and safety training, involvement in risk assessments, fair workload distribution, supportive work environments, and counseling services are recommended to reduce burnout and improve work-life balance.

Evaluation of indigenous isolates of Beuveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin (Deuteromycotina: Hyphomycetes) against the cotton aphid Aphis gossypii Glover

AbstractThe cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is one of the most important pests and causes major damage to cultivated plants in Turkey. It has recently become a serious problem in Antalya (southwestern Turkey) due to its high resistance to insecticides used. To address this problem, the present study aimed to evaluate the pathogenicity of five indigenous Beuveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin (Deuteromycotina: Hyphomycetes) isolates (BbFn-2, BbKm-2, BbSr-2, BbDs-4, and BbDm-2) with high virulence in previous studies against the pest. All the isolates were tested at five different conidial concentrations (1 × 105, 1 × 106, 1 × 107, 1 × 108 and 1 × 109 conidia mL−1) against the nymphs and adults of A. gossypii using Petri dish and pot trials in the laboratory. The results from the bioassays showed that virulence of the isolates increased significantly with elapsed time up to 10 days after inoculation. All five B. bassiana isolates at the highest concentration (1 × 109 conidia mL−1) caused mortalities ranged from 83.3% to 100% in both nymphs and adults 10 days post-treatment. While the LT50 and LT95 values of the isolates were 1.72–2.12 days and 4.81–8.49 days, respectively, for the nymphs, they were calculated for the adults as 1.65–2.54 days and 4.66–12.93 days, respectively. Results of the phylogenetic analysis showed that these five B. bassiana isolates had high similarities (ranging from 99 to 100%) with the other B. bassiana isolates in GenBank. All the results suggest that above-mentioned five indigenous B. bassiana isolates have significant biocontrol potential against A. gossypii.

Cytotoxicity assay of Turkish rare endemic Helianthemum germanicopolitanum Bornm. plant extract on HT-29 cell line

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the cytotoxic effect of Helianthem germanicopolitanum Bornm., a rare endemic plant in Turkey, against colon cancer. Materials and Methods: After the extraction of Helianthemum germanicopolitanum Bornm. plant, the phytochemical profile of the plant was analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Cytotoxicity analysis on HT-29 human colon cancer cell line was performed by WST 1 assay. The results were compared with other studies on similar plant species in the literature. Results: H. germanicopolitanum plant contains various flavonoids and these flavonoids have cytotoxic effects on colorectal cancer cells. These cytotoxic effects provide anticarcinogenic effects by activating cell death pathways at certain concentrations. These findings provide an important insight into the therapeutic potential of the plant. Conclusion: Cytotoxicity studies of flavonoids in extracts obtained from extraction procedures on colorectal cancer cell lines show that flavonoids offer anticarcinogenic effects by activating cell death pathways at certain concentrations.

Disease prevalence, incidence, morphological and molecular characterisation of Lasiodiplodia pseudotheobromae causing collar rot disease on peanut plants in Turkey

AbstractPeanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) holds significant commercial and dietary importance as a major source of edible oil and protein in Turkey. Stem, collar or root rot, caused by several fungal disease agent, are serious soil-borne diseases of peanut. Accurate and precise identification of the disease agent provides fundamental and precise information for integrated plant management. During the period from June to September 2021, symptoms consistent with collar rot disease, including dark-brown stem rot, chlorotic leaves, wilting, and eventual whole plant death, were observed on peanut plants cultivated in the different districts of Osmaniye Province of Turkey. The disease incidence ranged from 8.0 to 45.0% in the inspected fields with an average of 3.4% overall. Twenty-four single-spore representative isolates were obtained from surface-disinfected symptomatic tissues. Morphological characteristics of fungal mycelium, conidial and pycnidial structures on potato sucrose agar (PSA) and water agar (WA) closely resembled those described for Lasiodiplodia spp. All isolates caused typical collar rot symptoms upon artificial inoculation of peanut seedlings. Morphological identification of Lasiodiplodia spp. isolates was corroborated by MALDI-TOF and molecular analyses utilizing sequences from the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), β-tubulin 2 (tub2) and translation elongation factor-1 alpha (TEF1-α) loci. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that the representative fungal isolates (MKUBK-B1 and MKUBK-K22) belong to Lasiodiplodia pseudotheobromae. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of L. pseudotheobromae infecting peanut plants in Turkey. This work is expected to contribute to previously limited knowledge regarding the host range, incidence and prevalence of L. pseudotheobromae as a soilborne pathogen of peanuts. Due to the potential destructiveness and broad host range of this pathogen, it is essential to develop new strategies to establish more reliable, environmentally sustainable, and cost-effective management approaches for this disease.

Investigate of Landscape Design Use Possibilities of Some Native Ericaceae Family Plants in Turkey

The family Ericaceae is a large family of Angiosperms spread throughout the temperate regions of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. It includes plants, shrubs and trees that are often found in acidic and inefficient growing conditions. It offers ecologically based and sustainable landscape design alternatives by using natural species in plant designs. Many species of the Ericaceae family are naturally found in the mountainous and forested areas of Turkey, which is a very rich country in terms of plant species diversity with its geographical location and climate characteristics. Landscape designs created using natural vegetation offer ecologically based and sustainable alternatives. However, in urban areas, natural vegetation is not utilized sufficiently and efficiently. These plants, which create a visual impact with the beauty of their forms, leaves, flowers and fruits in the rural landscape of Turkey, have not found sufficient use in the urban landscape, despite the favorable conditions in terms of climate and growing environment. In this study, the morphological characteristics and landscape usage possibilities of some Ericaceae family plants that grow naturally in Turkey and can be used to create effective landscapes with their aesthetic properties were investigated. It is aimed to encourage the use of these natural species, which have high potential in terms of sustainable and economic applications, in open-green areas.

Investigation of performance limitations in continuous hot-dip galvanizing units associated with product defects

The goals of the work were to search and systematize the speed limits of the steel strip during hot-dip galvanizing, associated with the threat of product defects. Since speed can be combined with many other factors, this paper provides an overview of the known causes of common defects. The causes were grouped taking into account the operations of individual sections of continuous hot-dip galvanizing units. To determine the circumstances in which defects occur, a method was used that involved step-by-step stratification of retrospective data and comparison of the distribution density of influencing factors for defective and non-defective products. The method was applied in the analysis of the data on defects at the MMK Metallurgy plant in Turkey, obtained in 2020–2021. Twenty-one types of acceptable and unacceptable defects that occur during galvanizing of DX51D steel were selected for analysis. Twenty-two technological parameters were taken as factors, including the strip speed. For each selected type of the defects, a set of influencing factors is determined, and for some types of defects, the alleged causes of their occurrence are indicated. It is shown that the relationship observed for many types of defects with the strip speed can actually be caused by other factors. We determined the types of defects, the probability of which increases with an increase in the speed or the level of its change. The paper proposes measures aimed at preventing the increase in the proportion of defective products along with the performance gain.

Selection of a sustainable location for waste electrical and electronic equipment recycling plant using Entropy and Evaluation based on Distance from Average Solution.

The production and consumption of electronic goods have experienced a significant increase over the years, leading to a substantial surge in the global volume of electronic waste, commonly referred to as Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). The selection of a sustainable location for WEEE recycling plants plays a crucial role in mitigating environmental concerns, preserving resources and promoting economic development. It signifies a proactive and responsible approach to electronic waste management in the contemporary world. To tackle the challenge of selecting sustainable locations for WEEE recycling plants, this study employed the Entropy and Entropy and Evaluation based on Distance from Average Solution (EDAS) methodologies, evaluating 10 alternative cities in Turkey based on 13 criteria. The selected criteria include land cost, personnel cost, energy cost, availability of labour, government support degree, tax preferences, road network accessibility, number of electronic equipment producers, existence of recycling plants, suitability of land use, population and availability of renewable resources (wind power and solar energy). The Entropy method was employed to calculate the weights assigned to each criterion, whereas the EDAS method was utilized to evaluate the decision alternatives. The results provide region-specific recommendations, such as Antalya for the Mediterranean region and Samsun for the Black Sea region. The literature lacks sufficient research on the selection of sustainable locations for WEEE recycling plants. Furthermore, the utilization of real data enhances the study's credibility and provides practical insights for decision-making. The selection of a sustainable location for a WEEE recycling plant in Turkey not only demonstrates the country's environmental commitment but also sets a global example for responsible waste management.

Glaucium Cappadocicum: Screening on Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Anticholinesterase Inhibition in vitro

Glaucium cappadocicum is an endemic plant in Turkey, but there have been no research on it. In this work, the total phenolic and flavonoid content of extracts made from this plant were measured. Additionally, their antioxidant, antibacterial, and anticholinesterase activities were assessed. The extracts' antioxidant properties were assessed using the DPPH and FRAP methods, their antibacterial effects were assessed using the disk diffusion method on Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and their ability to inhibit cholinesterase activity was assessed using the Ellman method. In all biological activity assays, the alkaloid extract had the maximum activity. Alkaloid extract shown higher inhibition than the common inhibitor Tacrine in investigations on enzyme inhibition, in particular. All of these investigations demonstrate the potent anticholinesterase and antibacterial properties of Glaucium cappadocicum as well as its value as a good source of antioxidant system defense.

Prefeasibility analysis of the Pumped Hydro Storage (PHS) system in Türkiye: A case study on a hybrid system

Pumped Hydro Storage (PHS) power plants aim to exploit the price difference between storing and generating electricity. These power plants operate by pumping water from the lower reservoir to the upper reservoir, consuming energy, and generating electricity by transferring water from the upper reservoir to the lower reservoir. There is no pumped storage power plant in Turkey yet, and it is in the planning stage. This study aims to provide a preliminary feasibility analysis of this investment from an economic and technical point of view and to contribute to this issue through the recently announced feed-in tariff for PHS. The planned PHS at Gökçekaya Dam was considered a proposal in this study and was carried out using a developed algorithm. The algorithm determines the optimal installed capacity of hybrid energy. This feasibility analysis is based on two scenarios. The difference between the first and second scenarios is due to the investment cost of the PHS system. Additionally, the second scenario considers an integrated hybrid Solar Hydroelectric (SHE) system. Each scenario is evaluated in terms of base price, average price, maximum feed-in price, and market peak price. The result of the study is that only the market price represents a remarkable payback period for pumped storage power plants. As a result of the study, it was found that it’s possible to support the pumped storage power plant with a hybrid solar power system and market price if only the storage volume is increased. The feed-in tariff should be set to cover the demand. In the first scenario, only the PHS was evaluated, and after completing the economic analysis, the investment has a payback period of 28.39 years for the market peak price. If the PHS facility is supported by a hybrid solar energy system for internal energy needs, the payback periods can be reduced. In the first scenario, the investment has a payback period of 18.05 years, supported by integrated hybrid solar energy. In the second scenario, the PHS investment has a payback period of 9.63 years for the highest price on the market. The investment has a payback period of 8.66 years, which is supported by the integrated hybrid solar energy. Due to the high self-consumption of energy, integrated hybrid solar energy is suitable for the PHS projects.

Two new compounds from endemic Centaurea paphlagonica (Bornm.) Wagenitz and their cytotoxic activities.

Centaurea paphlagonica (Bornm.) Wagenitz is an endemic plant in Turkey. Pyrocatechol, vanillic acid, 3,4-dihydroxy benzoic acid, 5-O-caffeoylshikimic acid, tamarixetin, chlorogenic acid methyl ester, quercetin, 1,3-dicaffeoylquinic acid, tamarixetin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, quercimetrin, daucosterin, paphlagonicanin B, tamarixetin-7-O-β-rutinoside, rutin, chlorogenic acid, isoorientin, orientin, 3-O-feruloylquinic acid, quercetagetin-3-methyl ether 6-O-β-glucopyranoside, diosmetin 6-C-β-glucopyranoside, quercetagetin 4'-methyl ether 7-O-β-glucopyranoside, paphlagonicanin A, nepetin, cirsiliol, desacylcynaropicrin, and 8α-O-(2',3'-dihydroxyisobutyryl) desacylcynaropicrin were isolated from both flower and aerial parts of C. paphlagonica. These compounds were identified using 1D and 2D NMR methods and ESI-MS. The MTT assay assessed the antiproliferative activities of all isolated (known and new compounds) compounds on Caco-2, LNCaP, A549, HeLa, and HEK-293 cell lines. The 8α-O-(2',3'-dihydroxyisobutyryl) desacylcynaropicrin demonstrated the highest activity against CaCo-2 and HeLa cancer cell lines.

Extractions of aerial parts of Hippomarathrum scabrum with conventional and green methodologies: Chemical profiling, antioxidant, enzyme inhibition, and anti-cancer effects.

Hippomarathrum scabrum L. is an endemic medicinal plant in Turkey; however, there have been few studies investigating the phytochemistry and biological properties of these plants has not been investigated. The aim of this work is to determine the chemical composition of different extracts (extracts obtained by using supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, accelerated solvent extraction, homogenizer-assisted extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, and ultrasound-assisted extraction from Hippomarathrum scabrum L., and evaluate their biological properties. The analysis revealed that 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid, rutin, and isorhamnetin 3-O-rutinoside were the main bioactive compounds. The extract obtained by accelerated extraction contains the highest concentration of 5-O-Caffeoylquinic acid (7616.74±63.09mg/kg dry extract) followed by the extract obtained by homogenizer-assisted extraction (6682.53±13.04mg/kg dry extract). In antioxidant tests, all extracts expressed significant antioxidant activity. Also, cytotoxic and anticancer effects of these plant extracts were detected in the human prostate cancer cell line. Intrinsic apoptotic genes were up-regulated and anti-apoptotic genes were down-regulated in human prostate cancer cells after inhibition concentration dose treatment. The findings are promising, and suggest the use of these plant extracts could be used as natural sources with different biological activities, as well as anticancer agents.

Occurrence and pathogenicity of Stenotrophomonas spp. and Paenibacillus spp. on tomato plants in Turkey

Occurrence and pathogenicity of Stenotrophomonas spp. and Paenibacillus spp. on tomato plants in Turkey

More-than-Human Lifeworlds: Ethics, Ontology and Relationality in Local Environmental Struggles

Local environmental conflicts are often framed as “resource conflicts” in the political ecology literature. Based on ethnographic research on local community struggles against run-of-river hydroelectric power plants in Turkey’s East Black Sea Region, this article aims to demonstrate the limitation of the “resource” frame in explaining the grievances of environmentally dispossessed communities and their motivations to fight against it. The article discusses how and why rivers are more than “natural resources” for the rural communities of the region, maintaining non-human entities as integral not only to the umwelt (environment, surroundings), but also to the lebenswelt (lifeworld). It develops a bodycentred, phenomenological perspective demonstrating how non-human entities become an essential part of our experiential and social world through habitual and corporeal encounter and interaction. It maintains the centrality of the more-than-human lifeworld in the constitution of relational ontologies and ethics of coexistence, and in the formation of political agency.

Plant Growth Inhibitory Activity of Hibiscus sabdariffa Calyx and the Phytotoxicity of Hydroxycitric Acid Lactone

Weeds pose major constraints in crop production. The use of allelochemicals and allelopathic species can provide an effective alternative for sustainable weed management. In a previous study that evaluated the allelopathic activity of wild and cultivated plants in Turkey, Hibiscus sabdariffa demonstrated the strongest inhibitory potential. This study aimed to estimate the phytotoxic influence of the H. sabdariffa water crude extracts on Lactuca sativa L. in a bioassay experiment. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was used to identify two major compounds, hydroxycitric acid lactone and hydroxy citric acid, and their plant growth inhibitory activities were evaluated by bioassays. Hydroxycitric acid lactone had a stronger growth inhibitory activity on L. sativa L. and was estimated as a major allelochemical in H. sabdariffa calyx. The high concentration (16.7% of the dry weight of the calyx) and strong inhibitory effect (EC50, 73.7 ppm) of the hydroxycitric acid lactone could demonstrate the growth inhibitory activity of the H. sabdariffa calyx extract. This study showed that hydroxycitric acid lactone, a major compound in the calyx of Hibiscus sabdariffa, is a plant growth inhibitor.

Screening of in vitro cytotoxicity and antioxidant potential of selected endemic plants in Turkey

In the present study, we evaluated antioxidant and cytotoxicity potentials of Astragalus tokatensis Fisch., Helichrysum noeanum Boiss. and Stachys huber-morathii R. Bhattacharjee, endemic plant species in Turkey. We measured DPPH scavenging activity, metal chelating activity, total phenol and flavonoid contents of the extracts. In addition, the cytotoxic activities of the extracts were evaluated on human breast cancer cells (MCF-7). In the analysis of total phenol content, the water extract of S. huber-morathii had the highest value (116.34 µg gallic acid equivalent/mg extract). The highest total flavonoid content (83.39 µg quercetin equivalent/mg extract) was in the water extract of H. noeanum. Considering the DPPH scavenging and metal chelating activities, water extracts of H. noeanum (33.13 mg/L) and S. huber-morathii (49.00 mg/L) showed the lowest IC50 values. When cytotoxic activities on MCF-7 cells were examined, the water extract of H. noeanum stood out with the lowest IC50 value (96.94 mg/L).

Molecular and morphological studies on the genus Pseudococcus Westwood (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Pseudococcidae) in Turkey

Mealybugs (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Pseudococcidae) include economically important insect pests worldwide. Pseudococcus Westwood is the second biggest genus in Pseudococcidae, with several pest species. Pseudococcus adult females were collected and identified from wild and cultivated plants in Turkey. Molecular and morphological characters were analyzed to investigate the relationship among species. It was recognized that Pseudoccoccus species are shown in three distinctive groups concerning to both morphological and molecular aspects.

Antioxidant properties, oxidative stability, and fatty acid profile of pitaya fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus and Hylocereus undatus) seeds cultivated in Turkey

Pitaya is a tropical fruit from a newly cultivated plant in Turkey that has increasing economic value. In this study, its seed properties were investigated. Pitaya fruit samples used in the research were obtained from local producers in the Gazipaşa/Antalya region. The dry matter, protein, oil, and ash content of H. polyrhizus and H. undatus pitaya seeds were 89.7% to 89.1%, 19.8% to 17.5%, 22.8% to 24.0%, and 2.8% to 4.09%, respectively. The oil and protein contents of the seeds were very high. The total phenolic content, α-tocopherol content, γ-tocopherol content, free radical scavenging activity, and induction time of H. polyrhizus and H. undatus pitaya seeds were 12.8 to 11.9 mg GAE/g dry sample, 3.67 to 2.75 g/kg oil, 1.29, 1.64 g/kg oil, 46.9% to 51.5%, and 5.37 to 5.07 h, respectively. Seeds contained significant amounts of phenolic compounds and tocopherols, which play an important role in increasing oxidative stability. The percent inhibition of DPPH indicated that pitaya seeds may be evaluated as an antioxidant source. Unsaturated fatty acids were high in seed oils of both pitaya species. Linoleic acid, a polyunsaturated fatty acid, was dominant in both pitaya species. The chemical properties of the seeds were similar to those of species grown in tropical countries. Future studies should investigate other pitaya species grown in Turkey.

Phytochemical Profiling, in Vitro Biological Activities and in Silico Molecular Docking Studies of the Crude Extract of Crambe orientalis, an Endemic Plant in Turkey.

In this study, total phenolic and flavonoid analyses of flower, leaf, and stem aqueous extracts of C. orientalis were performed. Total phenolic contents of C. orientalis extracts ranged from 12.2±0.06 to 19.0±0.07 mg GAE/g extract. Total flavonoid values range between 2.0±0.11 and 6.6±0.19 mg CE/g extract. Urease, collagenase, tyrosinase, and α-glucosidase inhibition activities were determined in vitro and the relationship between them was examined. IC50 results for all enzymes were obtained between 0.18 and 3.53 μg/mL. The aqueous extract of the plant C. orientalis showed potent cytotoxic effects against the human colon cancer cell lines DLD-1. As the extract concentration increases, cell death increases. The main fatty acid composition by GC/MS analysis is erucic acid (36.5 %). The potential binding modes of the fatty acids in the plant extract to the enzymes and possible inhibition mechanisms were determined by molecular docking calculation.

Evaluation and Solution Suggestions for Engineering and Workmanship Failures during Design and Installation of Solar Power Plants

Among the various renewable energy generation systems, the solar photovoltaic occupies a leading position today due to its simple structure. However, increasing the efficiency of solar photovoltaic systems is a highly researched topic. In this study, possible connection failures in maximum power inverters and other failures, which decrease the efficiency in solar power plants, are examined. Furthermore, the possible consequences of these losses and their effects on the performance of solar power plants are explained. Some missing-failure processes were identified and corrected in the field analysis of the solar power plant in Turkey. Detected missing failures include connection failures of solar inverters, incorrect network configuration of camera system, fixing lighting time settings. The inverter string connection failure made during the projecting and assembly phase was eliminated and the maximum output was determined as 584.25 kW after the DC string arrangement. An increase of approximately 10% was achieved in production. In the project and application phase, the connection details of the inverters should be drawn and given to the field application personnel as a full-fledged project. In this way, incorrect connections that are not shown in the project and made in the field are prevented. This ensures that the installed power plant operates more efficiently, and the budgetary payback period of the investments made is shortened.