DEVELOPMENT OF A KNOWLEDGE MODEL ABOUT PLASTICULTURE USING CONCEPT MAPS

Abstract. We can find, actually, a great interest in the Latin-American countries on the application of the intensive agriculture techniques based in the used of plastics, because the requirements in increasing production in order to accomplish food security. Last news about food availability and prices of basic products confirm this point. Use of these technologies presents some risk, environmental, social and economical. A key point in a correct application of these techniques and material requires of a adequate knowledge that as in all natural and social environment conditioned systems, must be adapted to specific conditions of each location in order to obtain good results. In this sense in 2004, a set of 27 research groups and companies of 12 countries decided to collaborate in order to assemble a knowledge model of the plasticulture techniques, that has been assembled using mainly concept maps. Information was classified in 11 main areas and maps: agro-packing, climatic control, plant conduction, phytosanitary control, agronomic management, plant nutrition, soil preparation, crop protection, characteristics of plastics in agriculture, and a general one of plastics in agriculture. The use of the concept maps in general and of IHMC CmapTools has been a key point in ordering all the information and assembling the knowledge model.