Browsing by Author "Coffie, Peter"

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    Organophosphorous Insecticide Residues in Tomatoes and Cabbage Sold at Nkawkaw Market in the Eastern Region of Ghana
    (June, 2014 ) Coffie, Peter
    The use of insecticides in controlling different types of pest is one of the essential measures of modern food crops production. However, the residue resulting from misapplication of pesticides on vegetables is a crucial concern not only to the people of Ghana but the international community at large. The aim of this project was to determine the usage of organophosphorus insecticides, the types and their residue levels in tomatoes and cabbage sold at the Nkawkaw market. The objectives were to determine: the sources of production of Cabbage and Tomato sold at the Nkawkaw market, the types of Organophosphate insecticides sold to tomato and cabbage farmers by the agrochemical sellers, the frequency and times of administration by the farmers and the concentrations of Organophosphate insecticides identified in the Cabbage and Tomato sold in the above mentioned market. Questionnaire interviews showed that of fifty sellers, only 17 (34%) dealt with the farmers directly, while 33 (66%) took their suppliers from those who go to the farmers directly (middle women). Out of the seventeen (17) farmers, eleven (65%) have their farms located in Nkawkaw and nearby areas; three (18%) of them have their farms in the Asante Akim District, whilst the remaining three (18%) have their farms at Kumawu in the Ashanti region. It was also realized that, farmers sprayed their vegetables throughout the growing season of the crop. Most of the pesticides used by the farmers were organochlorine. From the results of the laboratory test, only Ethoprophos and Phorate with mean concentrations of <0.01 and 0.02mg/kg respectively were detected in the cabbage samples. Malathion, Chlorpyrifos and Profenofos with their mean concentrations as <0.01, <0.01 and 0.47mg/kg respectively were detected in the tomato samples.