Abstract:
Pesticide use pattern on exportable pineapple (Ananas comosus L. Merr.) (Smooth
Cayenne) was studied in the Akwapim South District of Ghana through
administration of questionnaires. Among the several pesticides listed as being used,
only nine, representing 43%, had been provisionally approved for use on exportable
pineapples. Farmers handled pesticides carelessly without necessary caution though
they had general awareness of hazards of pesticides.
Residue levels of chlorpyrifos and carbendazim in exportable pineapple (Smooth
Cayenne) grown in the district were also determined using a Gas Chromatograph
equipped with electron capture detector and Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) by
bioassay of Aspergillus niger Tiegh inhibition technique, respectively.
The detection limit of carbendazim in the pineapple peel using TLC is 0.02|j.g/g. The
carbendazim residue detected in the peel was in the range of 0.04±2xl0'2 to
0.05±lxl0‘2|ig/g. Chlorpyrifos was detected both in the peel and the pulp.
The chlorpyrifos residue detected was within the range of 0.005±4.8xl0'3 to 0.02 ±
lxl0'2(ig/g. These levels of residue were below pesticide permissible levels
established by the European Union.
Regular monitoring of pesticide use and determination of residue levels are
recommended to optimize the value of fresh pineapples and sustain the export
potentials of the fruits.
