Comparative Study of Pesticide Residue Pattern in Vegetables Grown Using IPM and Non-IPM Practices

Pesticide residue persistence pattern in three vegetable crops, viz., tomato, cabbage and cauliflower, cultivated following previously developed pesticide residue-free IPM packages, was compared with a crop cultivated under conventional or non - IPM conditions. It was observed that vegetables grown as per IPM practices were safer to consume at harvest compared to those grown as per conventional cultivation practices, with chemical control as the sole means of plant protection. Pesticide residues, if present, were mostly in trace amounts (< 0.01 ppm) in vegetables grown as per IPM practices, except the residues of methomyl and monocrotophos in cabbage, where slightly higher levels of pesticides were observed.