Pesticides used in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) cultivation in Cuba: toxicological and ecotoxicological pressure

Abstract

Introduction. Pesticides are used to control pests and diseases in agricultural activities. Improper handling of these products constitutes a potential risk to human health and the environment. Objective. To evaluate the toxicological (eco) pressure exerted by synthetic pesticides on tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) crops in the province of Sancti Spíritus, Cuba. Materials and methods. A database of the Provincial Directorate of Plant Health for the period 2016-2019 was used, where the pesticides assigned to the province for this crop were taken and compared with those declared by the farmers interviewed. The dual indicator POCER was used to obtain the results, which determined the pressure exerted by the different pesticides and their harmful reference on humans and the environment. Results. The trend in pesticide consumption (summarized in tables and graphs) showed a decrease of 50 %, which corresponds to the country's crop protection policy. Farmers mentioned the use of authorised and unauthorized active ingredients in the surveys carried out. Sixteen high-risk active ingredients were detected in the samples analyzed. Evaluation of the POCER results and analyzed samples shows that there is a high (eco)toxicological pressure on both the environment and human health exerted by a group of highly toxic active ingredients used in tobacco cultivation in the province. Conclusion. With the use of the dual indicator POCER, an evaluation of the toxicological (eco) pressure exerted by the synthetic pesticides used in the cultivation of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) in the province of Sancti Spiritus, Cuba for the study period is obtained.