Evaluation of Integrated Pest Management in Reducing Insecticide Residues in Plant, Soil and Water*

The impact of integrated pest management (IPM) in reducing insecticide residues at Kothapally (IPM) and Enkepally (non-IPM) villages of Ranga Reddy district, Andhra Pradesh, India was evaluated in two vegetables (tomato and brinjal), besides soil and water samples during 2008–09. Out of the 15 tomato fruit samples analyzed for insecticide residues from IPM fields, only 3 samples (20% contamination) were found contaminated with residues compared to 47% in non-IPM fields. Two soil samples out of the 10 from non-IPM tomato fields, had insecticide residues. In the brinjal fields, 20% of the IPM treated and 47% in non-IPM had insecticide contamination. Twenty per cent of the soil samples in the non-IPM fields had insecticide residues, while none of the soil samples in the IPM fields had residues. Water samples collected either from IPM or non-IPM treated fields contained no residues above the detectable level. Though the contamination levels in crops and soils in the IPM and non-IPM fields indicated substantial differences, the residue concentrations were below the MRLs.