Journal of Applied Horticulture. 2003: 5(2): 91-95

Relative uptake of the fungicide carbendazim by selected fruits and vegetables and keeping quality of apple and tomato after dip treatment

Himanish Das; Jayaraman, S; Mahadeva Naika

Food Contaminants Division, Defence Food Research Laboratory, Siddarthanagar, Mysore - 570 011, India.

A study was conducted to evaluate the uptake of carbendazim by 8 fruits and vegetables, i.e. tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum), apple (Malus pumila), carrot (Daucus carota), okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), orange (Citrus sinensis), grape (Vitis vinifera), sapota (Achras zapota [Manilkara zapota]) and banana (Musa paradisiaca), dipped in aqueous carbendazim suspension under laboratory conditions. The effect of carbendazim dips on the storage life of apple and tomato was also investigated. The uptake of carbendazim varied significantly, ranging from 68.97+or-2.89 to 813.64+or- 11.46 micro g (mean 342.13 micro g), among the fruits and vegetables. The lowest uptake was recorded in apple, followed by banana, orange, tomato, okra, grape, sapota and carrot. Dip treatments more effectively extended the storage life of tomato than apple and at ambient (32+or-2 degrees C) than at low temperature (7+or-2 degrees C). Dip treatments also decreased the cumulative physiological loss in weight and spoilage of tomato and apple, and increased the lycopene, ascorbic acid and moisture contents, and titratable acidity of tomato during storage.