Hyderabad: The leaves of a crop bear more of the burden of soil contamination than the roots, flower or fruit of the crop say horticulture and agriculture experts in the city.
A senior agriculture scientist explained, “We find that in crops like jowar, bajra, corn, millets, wheat and other grain crops it is the leaf which is most affected. The roots also bear the trauma but the leaf bears the brunt of the soil and air pollution. Hence some green leafy vegetables will wilt fast. When you buy it in the market it will appear fresh due to the sprinkling of water, but overnight it will wilt as the crop is not strong. In home-grown crops, the texture of green leafy vegetables is crisp and tight which is the sign of its freshness. Through the harvesting, storage and transport process the nutrients are lost. What arrives on the kitchen table has only half the nutrients required and can’t be stated as fresh.”
Similarly, soil contamination also affects ground crops such as potatoes, mulangi, radish and onions, which require good, nutrient-rich soil and also soil covering at every stage. Experts say farmers must check the quality of water and soil every two years.
Random samples are taken by government agencies and also private agencies to assess the quality, and work to improve it.
