Determination of Dry Season Irrigation Water Qualities for Vegetable Production in Minna, Nigeria

Abstract

This research was carried out to determine microbial loads in irrigation water and vegetables under dry season production in Minna. Irrigation water, fruits and leafy vegetables were collected from six farms. The samples were collected and checked in the laboratory. The results revealed that all the sampled farms have the presence of bacteria and fungi loads. However, the irrigation water used for irrigating the plants has high bacteria counts and low fungi counts. The high bacteria count in the irrigation water can be best thought to be from the source of water, which makes the leafy vegetables has high bacteria count. The fungi count on the vegetables were higher than the irrigation water, which have resulted from the manure used as fertilizers or the hygiene level of the area. It is recommended that consumers should ensure the produce are hygienic before eating especially the vegetables that are eaten raw. It is also recommended that farmers should ensure the use of quality water for irrigating their farms in dry season. To meet the all year-round demand of vegetable and fruits in the middle-belt region of Nigeria, irrigation with any available source of water is a common practice by the local farmers.