CityGreens Hydroponics - Blog #PesticidesCityGreens Hydroponics - Blog #Pesticideshttps://www.citygreens.ai/blogs/tag/pesticidesSat, 11 Apr 2026 08:58:54 +0530http://zoho.com/sites/<![CDATA[Hydroponic Pest Control: How to Keep Your Plants Safe and Healthy]]>https://www.citygreens.ai/blogs/post/hydroponic-pest-control-how-to-keep-your-plants-safe-and-healthy

Hydroponic gardening is a great way to grow plants in a controlled environment without soil, using nutrient solutions instead. However, like any type of gardening, hydroponic systems are susceptible to pests and diseases. In this blog post, we will go over some common pests and diseases that can affect hydroponic plants and how to prevent & control them.

Do you Know?
​80% of the pest for plants are soil borne.​​
Just by eliminating soil from the equation we can eliminate 80% of pesticide usage in hydroponics.

4 Most Common Hydroponics Pests

Aphids

These small insects with soft bodies feed on the plant sap, causing the leaves to wilt and turn yellow. They can also transmit plant viruses.

Spider mites

These tiny insects feed on plant juices and can quickly infest an entire hydroponic system.

Whiteflies

These small, winged insects feed on the underside of leaves and cause yellowing and stunting of plants.

Thrips

These small, slender insects feed on plant sap and can cause a yellow or silver discolouration of the leaves

Prevention and Control of Pests in Hydroponic Systems

It is easier to prevent pests in hydroponic systems than to control them once they have taken hold. Below are some tips for preventing and controlling pests in hydroponic systems:

Use good hygiene practices

Always clean and disinfect all equipment and tools before and after use.  This helps to prevent the spread of pests and diseases

Monitor the plants regularly

Check the plants regularly for signs of pests and diseases. This way you can detect and treat any problems early on. Use sticky traps to identify the pests.

Use biological control agents

Beneficial insects such as ladybugs & lacewings can help control pests. This may not be advisable in large farms due to use of pesticides at times needed.

Use organic pesticides 

Insecticides soap and neem oil are effective against many common pests in hydroponic systems. They are also safe and non-toxic.

Make sure the water has the right pH and temperature: Most pests and diseases thrive in warm, humid conditions. By maintaining the right pH and temperature of the water, you can prevent many common problems.

]]>Sun, 22 Oct 2023 21:46:20 +0530<![CDATA[Always believed that organic food is pesticide-free? You have been duped.]]>https://www.citygreens.ai/blogs/post/organic-food-pesticidesThe use of pesticides is one of the best-kept secrets of the Organic industry in India. Read on to find out.]]>


Here is an experiment I would urge you to carry out. Visit a retail supermarket and head to the organic food section. Ask this simple question to anyone whom you see buying Organic food.


"What is the No. 1 reason for you to buy Organic food?"


In most cases, the answer would be because inorganically grown food contains harmful pesticides and chemicals. A similar exercise was carried out in the UK, and 95% of the respondents shred this very reason for buying Organic.


Reality check

It's time to bust some myths. Yes, food grown using conventional agricultural practices contains pesticides and chemicals. But does that mean that the produce grown in Organic farms do not?

Myth 1 - Organic farms do not use pesticides

The use of pesticides is one of the best-kept secrets of the Organic industry in India. General consumer perception is that Organic food does not contain pesticides. Since this perception helps the industry, no one wants to dispel the myth. Or else, if you knew that Organic food also contains dangerous chemicals and pesticides, would you still be willing to give the 2x premium for Organic produce?

Myth 2 - Organic farms use only organic pesticides

Let us first understand what one means by Organic pesticides. Organic pesticides are those that are derived from natural sources (plants or animals) as against synthetic ones. Along with Organic pesticides, the organic farms are allowed to use around 20 - 25 synthetic pesticides depending upon the specific country's regulations. Of this approved list, many synthetic pesticides (like Copper Sulphate) are far more persistent (and hence detrimental to the environment) than the unapproved synthetic pesticides that provide the same impact.

Myth 3 - Organic pesticides are safer than synthetic pesticides

That pesticides of Organic origin are safer is one of the most widely accepted myth, even in regulatory circles. It is surprising that unlike for inorganic pesticides, there are limited guidelines or monitoring the usage of Organic pesticides. It is a foolhardy belief ignoring most available cues in nature all around us. Most of the deadliest known poisons to humans are of Organic origin. One of the Organic pesticides, 'Rotenone,' the use of which went unregulated for almost three decades, and was considered safe for Organic application, was finally banned in the US after it was found to be deadly to humans.

Unfortunately, as per NPOP published standards for Organic Production, 'Rotenone' is under the restricted category (can be used subject to x,y,z provisions) for use in organic cultivation in India.

Myth 4 - Organic food has lesser pesticide residue than inorganic food

From a health-conscious consumers' point of view, whether pesticides were used on a farm or not is not as relevant a question as to how much of it ends up in the food one finally consumes. Thankfully, to answer this question, there are published studies that show the numbers. You can find the report of one such study conducted by USDA here.


All these studies unequivocally establish one fact. The amount of pesticide residue is much lesser in food grown organically (approx 25% of the samples) as compared to the one produced using conventional means (approx 60% of the samples). However, since most Organic pesticides are considered safe, these studies were designed to check for the residues of synthetic pesticides. There is a general lack of consensus and clarity on how the numbers will look like if the scope of these studies included Organic pesticides as well.


Not Surprisingly, both the believers and the detractors of the safety of Organic food, use the same set of studies to promote their arguments. The former citing the consistent findings on synthetic pesticides in all such studies. The latter, using the lack of any data on Organic pesticides in any of these studies.

What does it mean for you as a consumer?

When it comes to pesticides, both organic and conventional food contains pesticide residue. If you are worried about synthetic pesticides, switching to Organic will help you cut your exposure to the same. However, if you are concerned about the overall level of pesticides (including organic pesticides also), there is no conclusive data available to be able to determine which side you should take and if and how much premium you should pay for organic food.

Parting Note

Most of the data and facts mentioned above were for the US market where pesticide use is highly regulated. In India, with its unregulated use of pesticides, the data is expected to be far worse. Whether you buy Organic or inorganic food, the chances are high that your food will have pesticide residues. Do clean your food thoroughly before cooking and consuming it. Better safe than sorry.


Stay Informed. Stay Safe!

]]>Wed, 21 Mar 2018 02:50:02 +0530<![CDATA[How many poisons do you expose your kids to each day?]]>https://www.citygreens.ai/blogs/post/fruits-vegetables-chemicals-pesticidesFood that has been grown with the help of chemicals or hormones will not show its adverse effect on human health immediately after consumption. But it can have an effect later, sometimes as late as after a couple of generations.]]>


One should be careful while consuming fruits or vegetables. The lush and leafy green cabbage and the "fresh" apple may contain harmful colours and chemicals that can lead to serious health problems. To make their produce look fresher, bigger and mature faster, most Indian farmers are injecting their vegetables with chemicals/hormones. Most common is the use of Oxytocin, a reproductive hormone found in mammals! It does not stop here. Even after the production phase, more chemicals can get added to fruits and vegetables at the selling phase. Fruit sellers may use chemicals like copper sulphate and calcium carbide to ripen bananas and mangoes.


Further, pesticides are used in vegetables and crops to protect them from damage and infestation from insects. However, if the amount of pesticides sprayed on the vegetables is more than the recommended amount, it affects soil, agriculture workers and consumers in one go. The pesticides can leave adverse effects on the nervous system. Harmful pesticides can also cause several hazardous diseases like cancer, liver, kidney and lung damage. Pesticides can also cause loss of weight and appetite, irritability, insomnia, behavioural disorders and dermatological problem. If you have been keeping a tab on the news, you may have noticed the coverage on recent tragic deaths of farmers in Maharashtra due to exposure to pesticides. For the uninitiated, a couple of headlines with links


Indian Express, Oct 8th, 2017 – Pesticide deaths stalk Yavatmal fields: 18 dead, over 800 farmers in hospital

NDTV, Oct 8th, 2017 – 20 farmers die of pesticide poisoning in Maharashtra, some critical


Pesticide usage in India

A couple of weeks back, we had highlighted that India legally allows the use of 50+ pesticides that have been banned the world over. Also, India is the only country in the world that still manufactures DDT. You can read that article here. With the non-existent controls at ground level on the use of these pesticides and chemicals, these sort of disasters were waiting to happen. These dangerous chemicals are what is getting into the food that you, I and our loved ones are consuming daily. 


Food that has been grown with the help of chemicals or hormones will not show its adverse effect on human health immediately after consumption. But it can have an effect later, sometimes as late as after a couple of generations. Read about a study to the same effect published in the journal of BMC medicine here.


So aren't we putting our kid's health to risk by feeding them pesticide-laden food? But are there any alternatives? Kids need nutrition, and the best source is green leafy vegetables and salad greens. Why not grow your food? Think about it.


Happy Growing!


]]>Wed, 11 Oct 2017 03:12:29 +0530<![CDATA[Spinach – A small amount of pesticide can turn this superfood into a nightmare for your health]]>https://www.citygreens.ai/blogs/post/spinach-pesticideSpinach seems to contain something for every part of our body. It is rich in iron, lowers cholesterol and helps in reducing belly fat. It is rich in vitamin A, C, B6, E and K.]]>



‘’I’m Popeye the Sailor Man,

I’m strong to the finich

Cause I eats me spinach

I’m Popeye the Sailor man‘’



Yeah, we all do remember this song! One of our earliest memories of spinach is of our favourite cartoon show ‘Popeye the Sailor Man’. As one may recall, when faced with troubles, the sailor would munch mouthful of spinach which would immediately push up his biceps for supercharged strength. With this newfound strength, he would fight away all his enemies, making us all feel happy. Those were some sweet memories. Being nostalgic, I recall the aroma of spinach cooked with garlic on summer afternoons at home. Add some lemon juice to this in order to retain its iron content; blissful.

Fun Fact - Did you know that spinach consumption increased by 33% on an annual basis in 1930’s in the U.S.? All thanks to Popeye.

Spinach seems to contain something for every part of our body. It is rich in iron, lowers cholesterol and helps in reducing belly fat. It is rich in vitamin A, C, B6, E and K. Apart from being rich in magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, manganese, and copper, it also provides for zinc, protein, fibre, calcium, folate. 

Manganese helps lower high blood pressure and iron helps prevent anaemia. A 100g serving of fresh spinach provides for 25% of daily intake of iron.

For all its health benefits, spinach can also become extremely unhealthy and carcinogenic if it is produced using pesticides. In a research study, spinach grown in 1985 in the U.S. was found to have traces of DDT. This was after 13 years of it being banned in U.S. (source: the Los Angeles times - Oct 8th, 1985). DDT is a highly persistent organic pollutant, known to be hazardous to humans, causing cancer, reproductive damage and birth defects. It can also lead to lifestyle diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and the effects can pass across generations. This is corroborated by a 2013 study published in the journal of BMC Medicine, wherein scientists injected pregnant rats with DDT and found that more than half of rats in the third generation showed a dramatically higher level of fat and weight gain, even though they were never exposed to the pesticides themselves.

Scary Fact – Do you know that India is the only country still manufacturing DDT? Also, India legally allows the use of 50+ pesticides that have been banned the world over. (source: The Hindu – Dec 7th, 2016)

So, should one avoid eating spinach altogether? Absolutely not, one should rather switch to pesticide-free food, may it be spinach or any other greens. Also, while consuming leafy greens, one should try to eat fresh produce as every passing day leads to losses in nutrient content. 


Happy Growing!


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