Ethylene (ripening hormone)
Ethylene is a ripening hormone. Also known as ethylene, it is a chemical substance.
Fully developed fruits can synthesize ethylene, promote their own maturity and coloring, such as bananas, apples, citrus fruits, pears, etc. However, other organs also release ethylene, which is a metabolic product of healthy cells and can be produced by any part of life.
Chinese name: Maturation hormone
Original name: Ethylene
Basic function: Ripening
Main function: Promote fruit ripening, promote organ shedding and aging
Discovery of Ethylene
In the early 20th century, it was discovered that there is a gas that can promote the yellowing and ripening of green lemons when illuminated by gas lamps, and this gas is ethylene. But it was not until the early 1960s when trace amounts of ethylene were detected in unripe fruits using gas chromatography that ethylene was listed as a plant hormone.
The role of ethylene
Ethylene is widely present in various tissues and organs of plants, and is converted from methionine under sufficient oxygen supply conditions. Its production has a "self promoting effect", that is, the accumulation of ethylene can stimulate the production of more ethylene. Ethylene can promote the synthesis of RNA and proteins in higher plants, increase the permeability of cell membranes, and accelerate respiration.
Therefore, when the ethylene content in the fruit increases, the synthesized auxin can be decomposed by enzymes in the plant or external light, which can promote the conversion of organic matter and accelerate ripening. Ethylene also has the effect of promoting organ shedding and aging. Treating yellowed seedling stems with ethylene can thicken the stems and promote upward growth of petioles.
Ethylene can also increase the number of female flowers in melon plants and promote milk secretion in rubber trees, lacquer trees, and other plants.
Ethylene is a gas that is inconvenient for field applications. A liquid compound that can release ethylene, 2-chloroethylphosphonic acid (trade name: ethephon), has been widely used in fruit ripening, defoliation before cotton harvest, promotion of cotton boll cracking and opening, stimulation of rubber milk secretion, rice dwarfing, increasing female flowers in melons, and promoting pineapple flowering. Synthetic parts: various parts of the plant body.
The hazards of ethylene
Excessive consumption of these ripened fruits can cause significant harm to the human body.
Ethylene, swelling agents, birth control pills... There are more and more foods and items containing various ripening agents. Are ripening agents safe or not? In fact, there is still no accurate conclusion on whether ripening agents are harmful, and what are the reasons for this?
The grapes are crystal clear and purple black, but they taste sour and seem immature; Tomatoes with a bright red appearance, when pinched hard, taste like they haven't fully ripened; The cucumber is green with thorns all over, with a straight body and a small yellow flower on top These vegetables, which have an attractive appearance but seem somewhat "abnormal", many of which were put on the market in advance by applying "ripening agents" before they were ripe and entered the dining tables of the people.
The common people feel anxious and uneasy about ripening agents. The person in charge of the Pesticide Inspection Institute of the Ministry of Agriculture responded officially to the "watermelon explosion incident" that occurred in some parts of China, stating that "the toxicity and residue levels of plant growth regulators are very low, and as long as they are used according to approved methods, there will be no safety accidents." It is also said that "the toxicity of plant growth regulators is even lower than that of salt.
At the end of the day, "ripening agents", "swelling agents" and other chemicals are harmful to the human body, although experts and even the Ministry of Agriculture have stated that "moderate use is harmless" and "residues are very low"; Although these statements may also be true. But can some vegetable and fruit farmers who are eager for quick success understand the standard of "moderate use"? If so, why is there such a strange thing as watermelon bursting?
It is reported that ripening is an essential technology in the production and circulation of fruits and vegetables in China. It can ensure product supply and resist low-temperature freezing damage. It has a wide range of applications and is used in various fruits and vegetables. It is possible to use plant growth regulators such as ethephon reasonably within national standards, but if they are used in excess or beyond the standard, resulting in excessive levels of vegetable ripening agents, it may pose a threat to human health.
It is safe to use within the standard range, however, due to the lack of sound standards for the use of "ripening agents", it is difficult and rare for relevant regulatory departments to monitor whether vegetable farmers use "ripening agents" in a standardized manner. Therefore, the safety of ripening vegetables remains a mystery.
