Pesticide Residues in Soils under Cardamom Cultivation in Kerala, India

Abstract

A two year study was conducted at the cardamom plantations of Idukki district, Kerala to assess the nature and extent of pesticide residues in soils. The analysis of 50 samples each collected during the years 2011 and 2012 revealed the presence of pesticides in as many as 74 and 60% samples, respectively. The pesticides detected were p,p’-DDT, p,p’- DDD, p,p’-DDE, endosulfan sulphate, alpha-endosulfan, beta-endosulfan, ethion, quinalphos, profenophos, chlorpyriphos, lambda cyhalothrin, bifenthrin, cypermethrin, imidacloprid and indoxacarb.