Journal of Environmental Biology

Behaviour of hexaconazole (Contaf 5% EC) residues on two cultivars

of apple grown under temperate conditions of Kashmir, India

M. Bhat¹*, M. Mukhtar², A. Sherwani³ and A.A. Wani²

¹Division of Plant Pathology, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir Srinagar-190 025, India

²Research Centre for Residue and Quality Analysis Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir Srinagar-190 025, India

³Division of Entomology Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir Srinagar-190 025, India

*Corresponding Author E-mail: mudasirpatho@gmail.com

Key words

Cultivar,

Dissipation,

Half-life,

Hexaconazole,

Residues

Publication Data

Paper received : 23.06.2016       

Revised received : 02.02.2017    

Re-revised received : 20.05.2017

Accepted : 26.05.2017

Abstract

Aim: Keeping in view the use of hexaconazole on apple in Kashmir, the dissipation behaviour at two dosages on two cultivars were studied to ascertain the residues at different time intervals, waiting period and theoretical maximum residue contribution (TMRC), so that its use may not pose any danger to the consumers and is acceptable in domestic and international markets.

Methodology: Hexaconazole (Contaf 5% EC) was applied at two dosages at 25 and 50 g a.i. ha^-1 as single dose (T₁) and double dose (T₂) on Golden Delicious and Starkrimson cultivars of apple. Samples were processed by QuEChERS method for the estimation of hexaconazole residues in apple fruit and the final extract was analysed on gas chromatograph (GLC) coupled with an electron capture detector (ECD). 

Results: The average initial deposits were found to be 2.60 and 4.01 μg g^-1 on Golden Delicious and 2.43 and 3.98 μg g^-1 on Starkrimson, at T₁ and T₂ doses, respectively. Residues of hexaconazole were well below LOQ of  0.008 μg g^-1 at 30 day after treatment in T₁ dose of both the cultivars. The half-lives of hexaconazole in Golden Delicious and Starkrimson were found to be 2.80, 5.41 and 2.73, 5.11 days in T₁ and T₂ doses, respectively.         

Interpretation: The residues of hexaconazole dissipated below quantification level of 0.008 μg g^-1 and waiting periods of 8.13 and 7.45 days are suggested for Golden Delicious and Starkrimson cultivars at recommended dose in Kashmir. Theoretical maximum residue contribution TMRC (the theoretical maximum amount of a pesticide in the daily diet of an average person) values were found to be 17.57 and 27.10 μg person^-1 day^-1, far less than maximum permissible intake MPI, (which is a measure of the amount of a pesticide in food that can be ingested on a daily basis over a lifetime without an appreciable health risk) at 0 day in both the dosages indicating hexaconazole use on apple cannot put health of consumers at risk in Kashmir.

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