Apply plants with love hormones

Indian officials are troubled by the situation that many farmers in the country use oxytocin to fertilize pumpkin and cucumber, to promote tree growth.

Oxytocin is a hormone that plays a decisive role in building and maintaining relationships in mammals. The number of farmers using oxytocin to fertilize cucumbers and pumpkins is on the rise in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab states (northern India). Many people claim that plants grow faster and produce bigger fruits thanks to oxytocin.

Meanwhile the Indian Ministry of Agriculture wants to stop the behavior. "The indiscriminate use of oxytocin can lead to unpredictable harms. Humans will experience many health risks if they absorb oxytocin through fruits and vegetables for a long time ," the Ministry of Agriculture said.

In humans, the pituitary gland is the producer of oxytocin . The concentration of oxytocin in women increases when they give birth, breastfeed and have sex. A recent study showed that women's oxytocin levels also increased when they looked or touched a newborn baby. The higher the concentration of oxytocin is, the easier it is to trust other people.

A cucumber field in India.(Photo: spraguephoto.com)

Until now, scientists have yet to find a mechanism for animal hormones to promote plant growth. Plant experts at Durham University and Rothamsted Research Institute (UK) do not believe oxytocin can increase plant growth.

" It is very difficult, but it can still happen. However, I do not think oxytocin can make fruit and vegetable production soar, " said Malcolm Hawkesford, an expert at Rothamsted Research.