PESTICIDE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
SARC,
Objectives PRI
·
Studies
on monitoring of contaminants in exportable food commodities
·
Monitoring
of pesticide residues in
·
Toxicological
studies of insecticides against fruit flies.
·
Efficacy
of fungicide/insecticide on seed-borne pathogens of cereals.
·
Insect
pest population fluctuation studies.
Main Disciplines of Research / Sections within
Institute:
The Pesticide Research Institute has three components major
laboratories viz:
·
Quality
Assurance Laboratory,
·
Pesticide
Residues Laboratory
·
Pesticide
Toxicology / Microbiological Research Laboratory:
Recent Studies
TOXIC
CONTAMINANTS IN EXPORTABLE FRUITS/ VEGETABLES
Toxic/essential metals analytical techniques
for fruits and vegetable samples have been standardized. Atomic Absorption
Spectrophotometer was used to detect eight elements using three modes i.e.
GFAAS (Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer), VGAAS (Vapor
Generation Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer) and FAAS (Flame Atomic
Absorption Spectrophotometer) with Limit of Detection 0.1-6.0ppb and recoveries
ranging from 75-120%.
a) Multiple Pesticide Residues:
The pesticides belonged to
6-groups i.e. Organochlorine, Organophosphates, Carbamates, Pyrethroids,
Neo-Nicotinoids and Fungicides. 11 different fruits and 23 vegetables
were studied on basis of current, previous and future export potential.
Group-Wise pesticide distribution
indicates that Organophosphate
pesticide is the most prevalent group to contaminate our fruit/vegetable
produce followed by Pyrethroids, Fungicides, Organochlorinated, Neo-nicotinoid
and Carbamates respectively. Presence of Organochlorine pesticide residues to
such an extent is also a matter of serious concern as most of the developed
nations have zero-tolerance against this group in food items. However the data
generated is almost in conformity with the field surveys as the farmers
reported maximum application of Endosulfan and OP’s.
Detailed monitoring showed that
farmers use combination of 2-3 pesticides in each spray. Pesticide spray on
crop is mostly repeated every 10-15 days in vegetables; while product is
harvested mostly on 3rd day of spray even some farmers were found to
harvest vegetables on same day of spray. Pesticide application situation in
district Thatta, Dadu and
b) Toxicity/Essential Metals:
One Hundred Twenty-Five samples
of fruits and vegetables were selected for toxic/essential element analysis; 73
samples were collected from farmer’s fields while 52 samples were from
exporters. Toxic elements including Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium and Mercury were
detected in fruits/vegetable samples with contents violating safe limit in some
samples; while essential micronutrient elements were also found in low quantity
showing an overall micronutrient deficiency in soils of Sindh, resulting from
minimum use of farm-yard manure, unavailability/minimum application of micro
nutrients fertilizers and geo-chemical composition of soil.
The data also show that Cadmium
content was more in root/tuberous vegetables while Lead concentration was more
in leafy vegetables and samples collected from peri-urban agricultural areas as
compared to other areas. Traces of Arsenic were also found in vegetable samples
collected from Tando Allah Yar and
Fate of Agrochemicals Pollutants in food chain
and environment and their impact on health and environment
(I) DETERMINATION OF PESTICIDE RESIDUE AND
NITRATE IN GROUND WATER:
The increasing use of artificial fertilizers, the disposal of wastes (particularly domestic animal manure) and changes in land use are the main factors responsible for the progressive increase in nitrate levels in ground water. The maximum limits for nitrate according to the WHO for the drinking water is 50 mg/L. Excessive nitrate causing negative impact on the environment such as dissolved oxygen depletion, which lead to the death of fishes and other aquatic fauna. Excessive concentration of nitrate is also harmful to human beings & blue baby syndrome is one of its example.
Twenty (20) ground water samples were collected from
different location of
Toxicological Research Activities to Prevent
the under/ Over Spraying of Pesticides
(I) TOXICOLOGICAL STUDIES
OF INSECTICIDE AGAINST FRUIT FLIES:
Different concentration of insecticide (Triazophos 40 EC) ranging from 0.1-0.0001% were prepared from 1% stock solution. A constant volume of 0.1 ml of different concentrations was applied over the natural diet of fruit flies (10 mg of banana) and then 3rd instars (10) larvae were released into the diet and kept in petridishes. The experiments were carried out in duplicate and a batch of control was also kept to check the environmental effects. The mortality data was recorded after 24 hours of treatment. The % mortality was recorded to be 20-40% at tested concentrations. Whereas, 60-90% larvae were pupated and 50-70% larvae were not able to migrate away from the food as compared to control where 90% larvae pupated out of the food. In a separate experiment when the pupae were treated with these concentrations and allowed to emerge, only 30-70% adults were emerged as compared to 70% in control. Moreover, the high emergence was recorded at higher dosages.
Epidemiology, Diagnosis and Control of
Emerging and Re-Emerging Infections and Pests of Crop:
(I) STUDIES ON EFFICACY
OF CHEMICAL AND NON-CHEMICAL TREATMENT TO CONTLROL SEED BORNE MYCOFLORA
ASSOCIATED WITH CHILLI SEED:
17 gerna and 39 species of fungi were isolated from chilli seeds by using ISTA (Blotter & Deep Freezing) techniques. Total eight fungi and five botanical herbicides have also been used for controlling the fungi..
(II) ANTIFUNGAL EFFECT OF DIFFERENT ESSENTIAL
OILS ON IN VITRO GROWTH OF SEED BORNE FUNGI:
Essential oils extracted from the seeds of neem (Azadirachta indica), mustard (Brassica campestris), black cumin (Nigella sativa) and asafetida (Ferula assafoetida) were evaluated for their antifungal activity @ 0.5%, 0.1% and 0.15% against eight seed borne fungi viz; Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, Fusarium oxysporum, F. moniliforme, F. nivale, F. semitectum, Drechslera hawiinesis and Alternaria alternata by. Ridomyl gold (MZ 68%WP) was used for comparison. All the oils extracted except mustard, showed fungicidal activity of varying degree against test species. Of these oils, Asafoetida oil, @ 0.1% and 0.15% significantly inhibited the growth of all test fungi except A. flavus and Nigella sativa oil @ 0.15 was also effective but showed little fungicidal activity against A. niger followed by neem, Ridomyl gold and mustard oils.
(III) EFFECT OF DIFFERENT
SEED OILS AND BENLATE FUNGICIDE ON IN VITRO GROWTH OF FOUR DRECHSLERA SPECIES:
Effect of neem (Azadirachta indica) seed oil, Dill (Anethum graveolens) seed oil and benlate fungicide @ 0.1, 0.01, 0.001 & 1.0% concentration were tested against four species of Drechslera viz., Drechslera rostrata, D. hawaiiensis, D. papendorfii and D. specifera. Dill seed oil 1% was most effective against D. rostrata and D. papendorfii whereas 1% Neem seed oil inhibited the growth of D. specifera and D. hawaiiensis. All treatments significantly inhibited the growth of all tested fungi; however dill seed oil showed greater suppression at all dose level followed by neem seed oil and Benlate fungicide.
(IV) COMPARISION OF ANTIFUNGAL PROPERTIES OF
NEEM SEED OIL COLLECTED FROM DIFFERENT PLANTS OF
Oil extracted from neem (Azadirachta indica) seeds collected from five
different localities of
Development of Integrated
(I) INSECT
Relative abundance of insect pests were studied on different vegetables i.e. tomato, eggplant and lady’s finger that were sown at SARC Experimental Field. The seeds of tomato and eggplant were failed to germinate in nursery plots, which may be the effect of change in water quality and adverse climatic conditions. However, the lady’s finger crop sown in April was germinated successfully. It was observed that lady’s finger crop was severely attached by the mealy bug species having mean population 1.66 individuals per plant in the last week of April. The mealy bug population gradually increased and reached at the peak mean population 21.66 individuals per plant in the third week of May and cause serious damage to the plants. The plants were died in first week of June.
Scientists at Institute:
Dr. Zahida Parveen, Senior Scientific Officer/Incharge Director,
E-mail: drzahidap_02@yahoo.com
Mr. Tahir Anwar, Senior Scientific Officer,
E-mail: tahirkhanawar_parc@yahoo.com
Dr. Seema Tahir, Senior Scientific Officer,
E-mail: tahirkhanawar_parc@yahoo.com
Mr. Muhammad Iqbal Khuhro, Scientific Officer,
E-mail: mikhuhro_pri@hotmail.com
Mr. Muhammad Samiullah Channa, Scientific Officer,
E-mail: mschanna73@yahoo.com
E-mail: sitara978@yahoo.com
RESOURCE PERSON:
|
Dr. Zahida Parveen, Incharge/SSO |
drzahidap_02@yahoo.com |
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Last updated: April, 2008
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