Post Harvest Management of Horticultural Crops

Effects of ethylene

Ethylene is a natural plant hormone released by all plant tissues and microorganisms. It is also called ‘Ripening hormone’, as it plays an important role in ripening process. Low concentration of 0.1-1.0 microlitres is sufficient to trigger the ripening process in climacteric fruits. It has autocatalytic activity because of which such small quantities can trigger further release of large quantities of ethylene by the fruit tissue. Very little response is only seen to exogenous application of ethylene in case of non-climacteric fruits.
Production of ethylene results in premature ripening of certain horticultural produce.
All fruits produce minute quantity of ethylene during development, however, coincident with ripening, climacteric fruits produce much larger amount of ethylene than non climacteric fruits
Fig. Effects of applied ethylene on respiration of climacteric and non-climacteric fruits