EVALUATION OF PESTICIDE RESIDUE IN PEPPER CROPS CULTIVATED IN GREENHOUSE CONDITIONS

References: 17th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM 2017, www.sgem.org, SGEM2017 Conference Proceedings, ISBN 978-619-7408-05-8 / ISSN 1314-2704, 29 June - 5 July, 2017, Vol. 17, Issue 32, 225-232 pp, DOI: 10.5593/sgem2017/32/S13.030

ABSTRACT

Due to intensive use of pesticides in vegetable farming, especially in pepper crop, residues may be accumulated at levels higher than those permitted by their respective international maximum residue levels (MRLs). The objective of this study was to evaluate residue level of three insecticides belonging to different chemical groups: 1. Actara (a.i. Thiametoksam) which was used at the rate of 1gr and 2gr/10 L water respectively; 2. Dimetogal (a.i. Dimetoate) which was used at the dose of 10ml and 20ml/10L water respectively; and 3. Deltarin 2.5 (deltamethrin) which was used at the dose of 5ml and 7.5ml/10L water respectively, that were used to protect pepper crop against aphids. Pepper crops (cv. Bounty and Duga Bella) were cultivated under greenhouse condition in the municipality of Shtime. Determination of insecticides residue in pepper plants was carried out at the chemical laboratory of the AGROVET laboratory, Kosovo, which is accredited according to ISO 17025, with the Gas Chromatograph’s technique (with ECD detector) according to standard methods: preparation of samples by AOAC Method 2007.01, while reading with method: EPA 8081:2007. Based on the results obtained there was an increase of the concentration of residue level in pepper fruits compared with permitted level according to World Health Organization (WHO).

Keywords: Pesticides, Residue level, Actara, Dimetogal, Deltarin