Stop growing vegetables with synthetic fertilizers, don cautions farmers

A Professor of Nutritional Toxicology at the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, Amanabo Musa, has cautioned farmers against growing leafy vegetables with synthetic and chemical fertilizers.

The university don also cautioned Nigerians against eating vegetable grown with such fertilizers.

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He gave the advice while presenting the 16th inaugural lecture series of the university at the school’s main campus in Lapai, Niger State.

The lecturer, who spoke on ‘Anti-Nutrients and Toxic Constituents of Leafy Vegetables: Obstacles to Harnessing their Full Nutritional and Health-enhancing Potentials,’ pointed out that the use of chemical and synthetic fertilizers in the growing of leafy vegetables increases the formation of anti-nutrients and toxic substances, which reduces the nutritional quality and acceptability.

Musa advised on the use of organic fertilizer in view of the fact that it decreases the accumulation of plant toxins, while increasing the concentrations of most of the mineral elements and antioxidants.

He also recommended the need to avoid the consumption of leafy vegetables during reproductive phase; adding that negative health effects associated with high intake of plants toxins in vegetables could be reduced to minimal level by ensuring their cooking or sun drying.

The don underscored the need for strong linkages between research output in Nigerian universities and relevant industries for the benefit of the nation at large.

Representative of the school’s Pro-Chancellor and Chairman Governing Council, General Idris Garba Rtd, commended the university for holding on to intellectual tradition of knowledge sharing.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abu Kasim Adamu, said the research team of the university was already working on the use of Nigerian vegetables as pure potency for the treatment of COVID-19 pandemic.