The Effects of Glyphosate Versus Spinosad on the Nitrate Concentration in the Soil

School Name

Spring Valley High School

Grade Level

10th Grade

Presentation Topic

Environmental Science

Presentation Type

Non-Mentored

Abstract

Glyphosate is the most common chemical herbicide used in the United States. However, chemical pesticides can prevent the growth of the nitrogen-fixing rendering the soil of its capability to grow plants efficiently. This study aimed to find a possible alternative for chemical pesticides. It was hypothesized that glyphosate would cause the largest decrease in the nitrate concentrations. The two types of pesticides used were glyphosate and spinosad. 5 mL of the glyphosate and the spinosad were applied to the assigned soil samples. The control was given 5 mL water. This took place every other day for 5 days. The nitrate concentrations were evaluated on the seventh day of the experiment. The glyphosate did cause the largest decrease in the nitrate concentration with a mean concentration of 2.714 ppm, spinosad having a mean concentrations of 3.857 ppm, and the control with a mean concentration of 9.524 ppm. An ANOVA (F (5,120) = 238.89, p < 0.001< α =0.05) showed that there was a significant difference between the before and after for the glyphosate and the spinosad and there was a statistically difference between the after data for the control, glyphosate, and spinosad. These results indicate that an organic pesticides (spinosad) could be a plausible alternative for chemical pesticides (glyphosate).

Location

Wall 206

Start Date

3-25-2017 2:15 PM

Presentation Format

Oral and Written

Group Project

No

COinS
 
Mar 25th, 2:15 PM

The Effects of Glyphosate Versus Spinosad on the Nitrate Concentration in the Soil

Wall 206

Glyphosate is the most common chemical herbicide used in the United States. However, chemical pesticides can prevent the growth of the nitrogen-fixing rendering the soil of its capability to grow plants efficiently. This study aimed to find a possible alternative for chemical pesticides. It was hypothesized that glyphosate would cause the largest decrease in the nitrate concentrations. The two types of pesticides used were glyphosate and spinosad. 5 mL of the glyphosate and the spinosad were applied to the assigned soil samples. The control was given 5 mL water. This took place every other day for 5 days. The nitrate concentrations were evaluated on the seventh day of the experiment. The glyphosate did cause the largest decrease in the nitrate concentration with a mean concentration of 2.714 ppm, spinosad having a mean concentrations of 3.857 ppm, and the control with a mean concentration of 9.524 ppm. An ANOVA (F (5,120) = 238.89, p < 0.001< α =0.05) showed that there was a significant difference between the before and after for the glyphosate and the spinosad and there was a statistically difference between the after data for the control, glyphosate, and spinosad. These results indicate that an organic pesticides (spinosad) could be a plausible alternative for chemical pesticides (glyphosate).