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Author: TOUKAM Ulrich Arsène
ABSTRACT
Agricultural practices contribute, when they are not applied according to good standards, in to the degradation of the environment and mainly, the water’s quality. A study has been carried out in the Lekie Division (Cameroon), among tomato producers. The aim of the present work was to appreciate the phytosanitary practices of the producers and the impact of these practices on the physical and chemical quality of water, in the neighborhood of plantations.
A bibliographical research was made on the regulations regarding pesticides management, good phytosanitary practices and the hydrosystemes. On the field, a survey was performed with the producers; fields observations followed by water sampling and analysis of the water’s physical and chemical parameters were also made.
The result revealed that 27% of the population of producers does not master the frequencies of treatment, 33% don’t protect themselves during treatment and the empty packaging are mainly buried in the ground, burned or abandoned in fields in the respective percentage of 37%, 32% and 21%. About the water quality, the low values of the Electric Conductivity (85,80μS/cm) and Total Dissolved Solid (41mg/l) testify of the low mineralization of water. Heavy metals are also presents. However, the values of the analyzed parameters are generally lower than the limit value recommended by the FAO for water irrigation.
The phytosanitary practices applied by tomato producers are, all together, not corresponding to the standard, regarding phytosanitary practices. In fact, the producers favor their tomato production instead of their health conditions and the environmental pollution. There are also points to be improved that emerge, requiring some corrective actions to decrease the risks of man’s poisoning and the environmental pollution by the phytosanitary products.
KeyWords : Tomato, phytosanitarian practices, Water quality, Lekie
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