Grafted Watermelons Contain Higher Pesticide Levels

SAKARYA, TurkeyGrafting watermelon and other melon plants onto squash or pumpkin rootstocks to make the fruit more resistant to diseases results in larger amounts of certain pesticides in the melon fruit, according to a new study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. The findings suggest commercial farmers should approach the practice with caution even though only low amounts of pesticides appeared in the fruit.

Researchers at Sakarya University grew common Turkish watermelon-squash graft seedlings in soil taken from a farming region nearby. They tested the roots, stems, leaves and fruit of the plants and found organochlorine levels were as much as 140 times higher in the stems of squash-grafted watermelons than in intact watermelons. Organochlorines have been widely banned because of concerns about their effects on human health and wildlife. The researchers said the levels are six to 12 times lower than accepted limits of the pesticides in produce in the United States and Turkey.