Dissipation pattern of flubendiamide residues on capsicum fruit (Capsicum annuum L.) under field and controlled environmental conditions

ABSTRACT

This investigation was undertaken to compare the dissipation pattern of flubendiamide in capsicum fruits under poly-house and open field after giving spray applications at the recommended and double doses of 48 g a.i. ha⁻¹ and 96 g a.i. ha⁻¹. Extraction and purification of capsicum fruit samples were carried out by the QuEChERS method. Residues of flubendiamide and its metabolite, des-iodo flubendiamide, were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography–photodiode array, and confirmed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry. Limit of quantification of the method was 0.05 mg kg⁻¹, and recovery of the insecticides was in the range of 89.6–104.3%, with relative standard deviation being 4.5–11.5%. The measurement uncertainty of the analytical method was in the range of 10.7–15.7%. Initial residue deposits of flubendiamide on capsicum fruits grown under poly-house conditions were (0.977 and 1.834 mg kg⁻¹) higher than that grown in the field (0.665 and 1.545 mg kg⁻¹). Flubendiamide residues persisted for 15 days in field-grown and for 25 days in poly-house-grown capsicum fruits. The residues were degraded with the half-lives of 4.3–4.7 and 5.6–6.6 days in field and poly-house respectively. Des-iodo flubendiamide was not detected in capsicum fruits or soil. The residues of flubendiamide degraded to below the maximum residue limit notified by Codex Alimentarius Commission (FAO/WHO) after 1 and 6 days in open field, and 3 and 10 days in poly-house. The results of the study indicated that flubendiamide applied to capsicum under controlled environmental conditions required longer pre-harvest interval to allow its residues to dissipate to the safe level.

KEYWORDS:

• Capsicum
• flubendiamide
• half-life
• open field
• poly-house

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the director, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, India, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, for providing facilities to carry out this study.