A researcher with the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) said Wednesday that plant hormones, if used properly, are not a risk to human health.
"Irregular use of plant growth substances may cause plants to grow excessively fast or affect the taste, but will not cause harm to human health," Ye Zhihua said in an interview with Xinhua.
His remarks come after media reports in China about "exploding watermelons," caused by the excessive use of phytohormone, have aroused public concern over the safety of hormones that stimulate plant growth.
Ye said plant hormones used to promote growth have the same or similar effects as natural plant hormones, and fruit and vegetables sold at the market carried limited residue of the hormones.
More than 100 types of plant hormones, such as ethephon and gibberellin acid, are used in agriculture and forestry sectors around the world, Ye said, adding 38 types of plant hormones have been registered in China.
For example, seven plant hormones including thidiazuron and nucleotide are approved for use on cucumbers in China. The purpose is to stimulate the growth of female flowers and increase fruit yields, Ye said.
Ye added that China places plant hormones in the category of pesticides control, which means the hormones are subject to strict management from production to utilization.