Microinvertebrates Associated with Freshly Harvested Vegetables Sold in Major Local Markets in Krobo Municipalities of Eastern Region of Ghana: Implications for Health Risks, Phytoparasite Dispersal, and Biosecurity
Microinvertebrates Associated with Freshly Harvested Vegetables Sold in Major Local Markets in Krobo Municipalities of Eastern Region of Ghana: Implications for Health Risks, Phytoparasite Dispersal, and Biosecurity
William K. Heve* and Paul O. Aniapam
ABSTRACT
This study examined incidence of microinvertebrates (MIs) on freshly harvested vegetables sold across major local markets in two Krobo municipals of Eastern Region of Ghana. Cabbages, carrots, onions and lettuces were randomly obtained from different sellers in three major local markets in the study area. In repeated trials, each vegetable was incubated in the modified Baermann funnel method to extract MIs. The extracted MIs in suspensions were diagnosed and counted under a microscope, using their individual morphological features. Rotifers, ribbon worms, mites and nematodes, with uncountable zoospores of Oomycetes (i.e., egg-fungi), were associated with freshly harvested vegetables obtained from local markets. However, MIs on lettuces were more diverse than those detected on other vegetables. Nematodes were the most common groups of MIs on vegetables obtained from local markets. The majority of these nematodes belong to a bacteria-feeding group, followed by those that are crop-damaging parasitic nematodes. The genera of the crop-feeding nematodes retrieved from sampled vegetables included Criconema, Scutellonema, Hoplolaimus, Pratylenchus and Meloidogyne. Crop-parasitic nematodes belonging to the genus Meloidogyne were more common, followed by those that belong to the genus Pratylenchus. Implications for microparasitic pest dispersal, health risks, public education, and adoption of sanitary and phytosanitary procedures were discussed.
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