PESTICIDE RESIDUES AND NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF SELECTED VEGETABLES GROWN IN SOUTHERN TELANGANA ZONE OF ANDHRA PRADESH
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Date
2014
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ACHARYA N.G. RANGA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY RAJENDRANAGAR, HYDERABAD
Abstract
The study entitled “Pesticide Residues and Nutritional Quality of Selected
Vegetables Grown in Southern Telangana Zone of Andhra Pradesh” was conducted to
estimate the pesticide residues in tomato, bitter gourd and brinjal in fresh form and after
washing and the nutrient composition in fresh vegetables. The other objective was to
determine the pesticide residue levels, of the selected vegetables before and after washing.
Comparison was made between recommended package of practices versus farmers’
practices in the usage of pesticides and nutrient composition against reference values.
Ten farmers each of tomato, bitter gourd and brinjal were selected using purposive
random sampling. The total thirty farmers were interviewed using the structured
questionnaire that was prepared for the purpose. The questionnaire included information on
the package of practices in relation to pesticide usage for different vegetable crops,
dosage/hectare, mode of application, sources for the procurement of seeds and pesticides,
processing techniques which included washing vegetables before consumption and the
affect of pesticides on health.
Burning eyes, vomiting and headache were the most common immediate symptoms
experienced and few of them used masks or gloves, very few used both. Nearly sixty seven
percent did not use any precautionary measure while pesticide application. The reasons for
application of pesticides were quoted as higher yield, better quality produce and prevention
of pests. The farmers were aware of the use of natural pesticides like neem oil and crude
garlic oil instead of chemicals but are not practicing. Most of them did not feel the need for
washing the vegetables before consumption as they were unaware of the serious health
effects of pesticides.
The nutrient compositions of selected fresh vegetables (moisture, reducing sugars,
β-carotene and ascorbic acid) were comparable with the reference values. The moisture
content of bitter gourd, brinjal and tomato were 92.15%, 91.13%, 94.51% and ascorbic acid
content were 55.21mg%, 10mg%, 23.44mg% and β-carotene content were 1340μg%,
1150μg%, 250μg% and reducing sugars content were 0.6%, 2.46% and 3.13% respectively.
Pesticide residue levels in all the selected vegetables before and after washing were
below detectable limits (BDL). Pesticide residues in vegetables were influenced by the time
lag between pesticide spray and fruit harvesting, storage, transport, handling and processing
techniques like washing and peeling before consumption of vegetables. The lower dosages
of pesticides applied by the farmers than recommended could have also contributed to the
non-detectable levels of pesticide residues in the vegetable samples.
Thus, the results of the present study indicate that the pesticide residue levels in the
selected vegetables tomato, bitter gourd and brinjal of Southern Telangana Zone are within
the MRL levels and are therefore safe for human consumption. Pre-processing techniques
like washing with water or 3% salt water and peeling for obtaining edible portion further
reduced the residual burden as the residues fell below detectable leVELS
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Keywords
PESTICIDE, RESIDUES, NUTRITIONAL, QUALITY, SELECTED VEGETABLES GROWN IN SOUTHERN, TELANGANA ZONE , ANDHRA PRADESH