Concentrations Of Ethephon Research Articles

Varying concentrations of ethephon induce antioxidant defences and cell wall degradation to regulate storage quality of fresh-cut lotus root

This study examined the impact of varying concentrations of ethephon (ET) immersion on the storage quality of fresh-cut lotus root. Compared to the 0.1%, the 0.8% and 1.6% ET groups inhibited phenolic oxidation and showed stronger antioxidant and reactive oxygen species balancing capacity during early storage, which led to better browning inhibition. During the early storage period, varying concentrations of ET treatments were inversely associated with microbial growth, and Pseudomonas as the major microorganism was significantly inhibited. During the post-storage period, the ET group exacerbated cell wall metabolism, contributed to the softening of lotus root slices. Additionally, ET stimulated enhanced respiration and reduced total soluble solids content as ET concentration increased. The heightened expression of NnERF in the late storage stage suggested a potential link to the regulation of root quality deterioration. Both browning inhibition and quality deterioration promotion exhibited gradient shifts in accordance with ET concentration. Combined with DNA affinity purification sequencing technology to identify the presence of motifs that bind specifically to ERF1B in lotus root, and screening for the possible target genes NnPL18 and NnACO that may be regulated by NnERF1B-like (104610030), it further suggests that NnERF1B-like (104610030) may mediate the process of lotus root flake softening and ethylene biosynthesis.

Inducing Aquilaria sinensis (Lour.) Spreng “Qinan” Agarwood Formation with Chemical Reagents

Agarwood is a highly sought-after resinous wood for use in medicine, incense, and perfume production. However, the process of agarwood formation is slow. In this study, the induction of agarwood formation in three-year-old Aquilaria sinensis “Qinan” trees through treatment with ethephon, hydrogen peroxide, sodium chloride, distilled water, and wounding was investigated. The results showed that the starch content significantly decreased and that the soluble sugar content significantly increased during the process of agarwood formation, with no significant difference between the different treatment groups. The net photosynthetic rate significantly decreased. Except for the sodium chloride treatment, the total antioxidant capacity and the contents of flavonoids and phenols significantly increased during the process of agarwood formation. The essential oil yield of the ethephon and hydrogen peroxide treatment groups was significantly higher than that of the other treatment groups, with the highest essential oil yield in the ethephon treatment group. Compared to the control group, salt treatment produced the lowest essential oil yield of agarwood. The results indicate that appropriate concentrations of ethephon and hydrogen peroxide can promote the formation of agarwood in A. sinensis “Qinan”.

Aluminium-based metal-organic frameworks for the colorimetric ethephon detection in fruit by paper microsensor

Ethephon (ETH) is a plant growth regulator extensively utilized in agriculture, but its overuse is associated with several health issues. However, detecting ETH sensitively and easily in the field is challenging due to the complexity and time-consuming operation of current approaches. In this study, we synthesized aluminum-based metal-organic frameworks (CAU-1) as fluorescent probes for the detection of ETH in fruit. ETH exposure enhanced and shifted the light green fluorescence of CAU-1 to blue through high absorption of phosphate by electrostatic attraction. We observed a linear correlation between fluorescent intensity and ETH concentration ranging from 2 mg/L to 400 mg/L, with the lowest detection limit at 1 mg/L. This fluorescent analysis exhibited good selectivity towards ETH. To facilitate easy identification of samples in the field, we designed a fluorescent paper-based platform with a logic gate operation, allowing visual distinction of samples containing ETH. We applied this platform to monitor ETH in various fruits, including apples, pears, and tomatoes, through fluorescent spectrum, and visual detection. The platform offered simplicity, speed, ease of use and sensitivity, providing a promising future for ETH detection in agriculture.

ENHANCEMENT OF FLOWER INDUCTION IN HARUMANIS MANGO (Mangifera indica L.) WITH ETHEPHON APPLICATION DURING OFF-SEASON

In cultural practice of Harumanis tree, plant growth regulator such as paclobutrazol is applied at late vegetative stage to induce flowering. However, starting from 2020 to 2023, there is a sharp yield reduction due to the unexpected weather condition. Unexpected heavy rain had caused Harumanis flower to drop from the panicle before the pollination occur. Due to this problem, ethephon was identified as an alternative plant growth regulator for flower induction. Ethephon is an ethylene releasing agent that help mediate many aspects in plant growth and development such as shoot development and flower induction. Thus, the objective of this study is to observe the influence of ethephon application during off-season on vegetative growth stage and flower induction of harumanis tree. Total of 32 Harumanis trees (3 years old) in Research Plot, Unit Ladang Universiti Teknologi MARA Perlis were treated with ethephon in September 2023 by foliar spray until run-off on the plant canopy. Treatments were arranged according to Randomized Completely Block Design (RCBD) with three different concentrations of ethephon and being diluted 2 hours before application which are 400 ppm, 600 ppm, and 800 ppm and control (without application). The parameters were recorded 2 weeks interval: number of leaves, number of buds, length of bud, relative chlorophyll content, stomatal density, day to flowering, and number of flower panicles. The vegetative growth stage shows significant difference among concentrations applied where number of leaves is higher with 400 ppm. Meanwhile, the flower formation occurs after 2 months and 4 months of ethephon application at treatment of 800 ppm and 400 ppm respectively. However, there is no significant difference presented on the Harumanis physiological characteristics. As from this study, it can be concluded that the application of ethephon influences the growth of performance and flower formation of Harumanis when applied with specific concentration.

Preharvest application of ethephon improved growth, maturity and quality of banana

Poor yield, non-uniform ripening, and delay in maturity are some serious issues faced by commercial banana growers in the country. This research was conducted in a commercial banana orchard of Chitwan from December 2021 to April 2022 in order to study the effect of different doses of ethephon on growth, maturity, and quality of banana. Five different doses of ethephon (200, 400, 600, 800, 1000 ppm) were sprayed on a banana bunch at 15th days after shooting which were compared with the control (no ethephon treatment) in RCBD design. The maturity of the bunch was significantly hastened at a higher concentration of ethephon (above 600 ppm). Fruit length and fruit weight were also observed higher at 600 ppm (10.21 cm and 62.68 g) and 800 ppm (10.67 cm and 63.26 g) ethephon spray. The bunch treated with 600 ppm ethephon had the highest TSS (10.78oB and 23.27oB at 0 and 5 days of storage, respectively) and PPR (1.65). Considering quantitative and qualitative parameters, preharvest ethephon spray @600 ppm significantly improved growth, maturity, and quality of banana fruits.

Effect of Poultry Manure and Ethephon on Growth, Yield, and Quality of Cayenne Pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.) ‘Ratuni UNPAD’

<p><span lang="IN">The production of 'Ratuni UNPAD' cayenne pepper can be increased using organic chicken manure. However, the application of ethephon is needed during fertilization due to the significantly slow flower initiation. Therefore, this study aim</span><span>s</span><span> <span lang="IN">to determine the interaction between chicken manure and ethephon on the growth, yield, and quality of the 'Ratuni UNPAD' cayenne pepper. Planting </span></span><span>is </span><span lang="IN">carried out 829 meters above sea level (masl), and a factorial randomized block experimental design comprises 2 factors with 3 replications. The first factor </span><span>i</span><span lang="IN">s the dose of chicken manure (10, 20, 30, and 40 t/ha), while the second is the ethephon concentration (0, 500, 1000, and 1500 ppm). The results showed no interaction between poultry manure and ethephon on the growth, yield, and quality of the 'Ratuni UNPAD' cayenne pepper. According to the doses of chicken manure, 40 t/ha significantly affect</span><span>s</span><span lang="IN"> the flower initiation, fruit number, weight, length, and diameter, as well as capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin. The 30 t/ha shows the highest value for the number of leaves and productive branches, while 20 tons dose/ha influences flavonoids, phenolics, and total carotenoids. The ethephon concentration of 1500 ppm significantly affects the flower initiation, fruit length, diameter, capsaicin, and dihydrocapsaicin.</span></p>

Real-time intelligent detection of ethephon based on a high-throughput ratiometric fluorescent probe

Ethephon (ETH) is a common pesticide, and its overuse has resulted in a variety of health problems for humans. However, the existing ETH detection methods are tedious and time-consuming, and real-time ETH identification remains a significant difficulty. To mitigate this concern, a dual-emission ratiometric fluorescent probe Ru@ZrMOF was rationally synthesized for the detection of ETH. In the presence of ETH, the emission peak at 435 nm gradually increased, while the peak at 600 nm remained constant, accompanied by the fluorescence color change from red, pink, blue-violet to blue. The fluorescence intensity ratio (F435/F600) demonstrated two linear relations with the ETH concentration ranges at 3 − 50 μM and 50 − 500 μM, with a lowest detection limit at 1 μM. This was attributed to the formation of Zr−O−P bonds which attenuated the ligand-metal charge transfer (LMCT) process, resulting in the recovery of blue fluorescence of the ligand 2-Aminoterephthalic acid (2-APDC). To validate the practical application of the developed platform, a YOLO v5x-based WeChat applet "96 Speckles" was developed, and a 96-well plate and smartphone-embedded 3D-printed portable toolbox was designed for the real-time intelligent detection of ETH. This smart platform allows for real-time and efficient ETH analysis in various real samples including apples, pears and tomatoes.

Comparison of color spectrophotometer and Vis/NIR spectroscopy on assessing natural pigments of cucumber applied with different ethephon concentrations

In recent decades, the development of non-destructive measurement methods for agricultural commodities has gained a lot of attention among scientists, but these techniques have different levels of accuracy for each instrument used. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the prediction accuracy of natural pigments, such as Total Carotenoid Content (TCC) and Total Flavonoid Content (TFC) using a color spectrophotometer and Visible/Near-Infrared (Vis/NIR) spectroscopy (381–1065 nm). The effect of ethephon concentration on the spectral characteristics and the accuracy of predicting pigments was studied. The samples used include cucumber fruit, which consisted of the 'Mars', 'Vanesa', and 'Roberto’ varieties. During the planting of the fruit, ethephon was applied at different concentrations of 0 ppm, 150 ppm, and 300 ppm. The results showed that the best accuracy for predicting TCC was obtained through a color spectrophotometer (Rcal = 0.89, Rpred = 0.90, RPD = 2.44), while the best prediction for TFC was the Vis/NIR spectroscopy (Rcal = 0.86, Rpred = 0.83, RPD = 1.78). Furthermore, the ethephon affects the spectral characteristics of cucumber fruit. Ethephon concentration of 150 ppm produced the highest accuracy value compared to others. This study proved that the use of non-destructive measurement methods with a color spectrophotometer and Vis/NIR spectroscopy has good performance in predicting TCC and TFC. The techniques are also easy to use, do not require chemicals, and have high accuracy.

Exogenous Application Effects of Ethephon on Olive Oil Quality

This experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of five different ethephon concentrations (0, 1000, 2000, 3000 and 4000ppm) on olive oil sensory attributes (quality) after one and two weeks of fruits harvesting. Olive fruits Harvested two weeks after 4000 ppm of ethephon application significantly increased free fatty acid and peroxide value of olive oil contents and decreased sensory attributes (fruitiness bitterness, and pungency), indicating a high impact on reducing oil quality. While olive fruits harvested one week after 4000 ppm ethephon application did not affect the olive oil quality traits. In conclusion, 4000ppm ethephon application led to efficient olive fruits harvest without affecting the olive oil quality, when olive fruits harvested after one week.

Evaluation of wheat verities (Triticum aestivum L.) grown under different seeding rates and ethephon in desert conditions, south of Basrah, Iraq

Due to climate change in recent years, there has been an increasing water deficit during the winter wheat growing period due to reduce rivers water and low precipitation. Consequently, there is increasing thoughts to grow crops depending on well water under desert conditions were crops management completely different. Field experiment was conducted in winter session of 2021-2022. The aim was to evaluate the production of wheat cultivars grown under desert condition at Alahais south of Basrah, Iraq (30°46'89.07"N 46°99'36.77"E). Moreover, two seeding rate and two levels of ethephon have been applied. The experiment include three factors, eleven wheat cultivars, two rate of seeding (140 and 200 kg ha-1) and two concentration of ethephon (0 and 2.25 ml l-1). Factorial experiment was applied (11x2x2) according to randomized complete block design with three replicates. The area of experimental unit was 4x3 m2. The results revealed that, wheat varieties differed significantly in all most traits measured. Alrasheed variety produced higher grain yield, higher grains spike-1 and 1000 grain weight by 4.077 t ha-1, 56.18 grains spikes-1, and 43.17 g respectively. Moreover, increased seeding rate from 100 to 200 kg ha-1 lead to increase spike m-2 and grain yield by 12.53% and 11.59% respectively. In addition foliar application of ethephon lead to enhance spike m-2, grains spike-1 and grain yield by 5.31%, 6.81% and 11.15% respectively. For the interaction effect, the results revealed that, the increased of seeding rate improved grain yield for all wheat varieties. Moreover, the application of ethephon improved grain yield for all wheat varieties. Alrasheed variety under 140 and 200 kg ha-1 seeding rate with foliar application of 2.25 ml l-1 ethephon gave highest grain yield by 4.321 and 4.235 t ha-1 respectively. In addition Alrasheed under seeding rate of 200 kg ha-1 and ethephon foliar application produced highest biological yield by 14.261 t ha-1. The results showed that foliar application of ethephon compensate the increase of seeding rate from 140 to 200 kg ha-1 for grain yield of some wheat varieties. Keyword: Wheat verities, desert agriculture, ethephon, grain yield, seeding rate.

Ethephon promotes isoflavone accumulation in germinating soybeans by its acceleration of isoflavone biosynthetic pathway

Soybeans have medicinal value and are an oil crop with medicinal and food properties. The present work investigated two aspects of isoflavone accumulation in soybean. First, germination conditions for exogenous-ethephon-mediated accumulation of isoflavone were optimised through response surface methodology. Second, various influences of ethephon on the growth of germinating soybeans and isoflavone metabolism were investigated. The findings of the research led to the conclusion that exogenous ethephon treatment effectively facilitated the enrichment of isoflavones in soybeans during germination. Optimal germination conditions were obtained through a response surface optimization test, which yielded the following criteria: a germination time of 4.2 d, an ethephon concentration of 102.6 μM, and a germination temperature of 30.2 °C. The maximum isoflavone content was 544.53 μg/sprout FW. Relative to the control, the addition of ethephon significantly inhibited sprout growth. Exogenous ethephon treatment led to the phenomenon that peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase activities and their gene expression increased significantly in germinating soybeans. Meanwhile, the expression of genes related to ethylene synthetase increase under the effect of ethephon promoting ethylene synthesis. Ethylene multiplied the total flavonoid content of soybean sprouts relying on the increase in activity and gene expression of crucial isoflavone biosynthesis-related enzymes (phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and 4-coumarate coenzyme A ligase) during germination.

Effects of Spraying with Ethephon and Early Topping on the Growth, Yield, and Earliness of Cotton under Late-Sowing and High-Density Cultivation Modes

Late-sowing and high-density cultivation are typical cotton planting models that are widely applied in the Yellow River Valley of China. The model can easily lead to late maturity and reduced yields. Plant topping and ethephon spraying have been shown to improve cotton earliness and yields. However, the optimal topping date and ethephon concentration are yet to be established. A two-year field experiment (2020–2021) was thus conducted to assess the effects of spraying high-concentration ethephon and early topping on the growth, yield, and earliness of cotton under late-sowing and high-density cultivation models. The experiment employed a split-plot design, in which the main plots were sprayed with varying ethephon concentrations (2000 mL/ha, E2000; 4000 mL/ha, E4000; 6000 mL/ha, E6000), while subplots were plant topping dates (T13, 13 July, early-topped; T20, 20 July, suitable-topped; T27, 27 July, late-topped). Higher ethephon concentrations (E4000) increased the earliness of early-topped (T13) plants. Boll-setting and boll-opening rates increased by 12.00% and 16.83% in T13 plants, respectively, relative to T27 plants. However, the shedding rate for T13 plants decreased by 12.00%. Earliness and harvest index (HI) for the T13 plants were higher than those of the T27 plants by 8.01% and 18.91%, respectively. Even though the T13 plant yield decreased slightly, their boll weight increased by 3.99% and 12.27%, respectively, relative to those of the T20 and T27 plants. Earliness increased with increasing ethephon concentration. In conclusion, early topping and higher ethephon concentrations can effectively improve cotton yield and earliness.

Effect of Plant Density and Spraying with Ethephon on Yield and its Components of Sorghum (Var. Bohooth .70)

A field experiment was carried out during the spring and autumn season 2021 in Al-Kut region - Wasit Governorate, to study the effect of plant densities and ethephon spraying on the yield and yield component of Sorghum (var. Bohooth 70). The experiment was applied according to a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in a split split plots design with three replications. The main plots included three plant densities (80000, 66666 and 50000 plants.ha-1), while the sub plots included three stages of ethephon spraying (4, 8 and 12 leaf per plant). Sub-sub plots included three concentrations of ethephon (0, 800, 1600 ppm). The results showed that the lower plant density (50,000 plants.ha-1) led to a significant decrease in plant height and the rate of lying, and a significant increase in yield per plant, weight of 1000 grains, and number of grains per head. Spraying ethephon increased the yield per plant, weight of 1000 grains, number of grains per head and yield of grain (t.ha-1). On the other hand, there was a significant relationship between the concentration of ethephon and the decrease by plant height and the rate of lying when sprayed at the stage of 4 and 8 leaves. It can be concluded from this study that plant height and lying ratio can be reduced when using low density with ethephon spray during early growth stages for economical grain production.

Enhancing the accumulation of linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid through the pre-harvest ethylene treatment in Camellia oleifera.

Camellia oleifera Abel. (C. oleifera) is an important woody edible oil tree species in China. The quality of C. oleifera oil (tea oil) is mainly determined by the contents of linoleic acid (LA) and α-linolenic acid (ALA). However, how to increase the contents of LA and ALA in tea oil and the corresponding regulating mechanism have not been clarified. In the present study, we found that the LA and ALA contents in C. oleifera seeds were significant positively associated with the concentrations of ethephon and were decreased by ethylene inhibitor treatment. Furthermore, 1.5g L-1 ethephon could receive an optimal LA and ALA contents without adverse effects to the growth of 'Huashuo' trees in this study. The ethephon treatment also increased the contents of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), sucrose, soluble sugar and reducing sugar contents in seeds. Transcriptome analysis further suggested that exogenous ethephon application enhanced the accumulation of LA and ALA via regulating genes involved in LA and ALA metabolism, plant hormone signal transduction pathways, and starch and sucrose metabolism. Our findings confirm the role of ethylene in LA and ALA regulation and provide new insights into the potential utilization of ethylene as a LA and ALA inducer in C. oleifera cultivation.

Exogenous Ethylene Alleviates the Inhibition of Sorbus pohuashanensis Embryo Germination in a Saline-Alkali Environment (NaHCO3).

Saline-alkali stress is a major environmental stress affecting the growth and development of plants such as Sorbus pohuashanensis. Although ethylene plays a crucial role in plant response to saline-alkaline stress, its mechanism remains elusive. The mechanism of action of ethylene (ETH) may be related to the accumulation of hormones, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). Ethephon is the exogenous ethylene donor. Therefore, for the present study we initially used different concentrations of ethephon (ETH) to treat S. pohuashanensis embryos and identified the best treatment concentration and method to promote the release of dormancy and the germination of S. pohuashanensis embryos. We then analyzed the physiological indexes, including endogenous hormones, ROS, antioxidant components, and reactive nitrogen, in embryos and seedlings to elucidate the mechanism via which ETH manages stress. The analysis showed that 45 mg/L was the best concentration of ETH to relieve the embryo dormancy. ETH at this concentration improved the germination of S. pohuashanensis by 183.21% under saline-alkaline stress; it also improved the germination index and germination potential of the embryos. Further analysis revealed that ETH treatment increased the levels of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), gibberellin (GA), soluble protein, nitric oxide (NO), and glutathione (GSH); increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), nitrate reductase (NR), and nitric oxide synthase (NOS); and decreased the levels of abscisic acid (ABA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide anion, and malondialdehyde (MDA) of S. pohuashanensis under saline-alkali stress. These results indicate that ETH mitigates the inhibitory effects of saline-alkali stress and provides a theoretical basis by which to establish precise control techniques for the release of seed dormancy of tree species.

Expression Analysis of CoHMGS in Cornus officinalis and Subcellular Localization of the Enzyme It Encodes.

Cornus officinalis is a perennial deciduous tree or shrub. Its mature fruits are extracted and used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, called Shanzhuyu. The characteristic active components of C. officinalis include loganin and morroniside, which belong to iridoid glycosides. 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase (HMGS) is a key enzyme in the cytoplasmic mevalonate pathway providing the precursor molecules isopentenyl pyrophosphate and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate for isoprenoid biosynthesis such as sterols, triterpenes, and their derivatives such as iridoid glycosides. Different concentrations of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and ethephon (ETH) solutions were sprayed on C. officinalis seedlings, and the effect of hormones on CoHMGS gene expression was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. The quantitative real-time PCR results showed that 750 mg/L ETH treatment had the most significant induction effect on CoHMGS gene expression. The HPLC analysis of extracts revealed that the treatment could also significantly increase the content of morroniside and loganin in the leaves of C. officinalis. By use of a CoHMGS-green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion construct for heterologous expression in tobacco, laser scanning confocal microscopy revealed a cytoplasmic localization. This preliminary study of the CoHMGS gene could prepare the ground for more precisely elucidating the synthesis of secondary metabolite in C. officinalis.

Comparative transcriptome analysis of Armillaria gallica 012m in response to ethephon treatment.

Gastrodia elata, known as a rootless, leafless, achlorophyllous and fully mycoheterotrophic orchid, needs to establish symbionts with particular Armillaria species to acquire nutrition and energy. Previous research findings had approved that ethylene (ET) played an important role in plant-fungi interaction and some receptors of ET had been discovered in microorganisms. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the role of ET in the interaction between G. elata and Armillaria species remain unknown. Exiguous ethephon (ETH) was added to agar and liquid media to observe the morphological features of mycelium and count the biomass respectively. Mycelium cultured in liquid media with exiguous ETH (0.1 ppm, 2.0 ppm, 5.0 ppm) were chosen to perform whole-transcriptome profiling through the RNA-seq technology (Illumina NGS sequencing). The DEGs of growth-related genes and candidate ET receptor domains were predicted on SMART. ETH-0.1 ppm and ETH-2 ppm could significantly improve the mycelium growth of A. gallica 012m, while ETH-5 ppm inhibited the mycelium growth in both solid and liquid media. The number of up-regulated or down-regulated genes increased along with the concentrations of ETH. The growth of mycelia might benefit from the up-regulated expression of Pyr_redox (Pyridine nucleotide-disulphide oxidoreductase), GAL4 (C6 zinc finger) and HMG (High Mobility Group) genes in the ETH-0.1 ppm and ETH-2 ppm. Therefore, the growth of mycelia might be impaired by the down-regulated expression of ZnF_C2H2 and ribosomal protein S4 proteins in the ETH-5 ppm. Seven ET receptor domains were predicted in A. gallica 012m. Based on cluster analysis and comparative studies of proteins, the putative ETH receptor domains of A. gallica 012m have a higher homologous correlation with fungi. The responses of A. gallica 012m to ETH had a concentration effect similar to the plants' responses to ET. Therefore, the number of up-regulated or down-regulated genes are increased along with the concentrations of ETH. Seven ET receptor protein domains were predicted in the genome and transcriptome of A. gallica 012m. We speculate that ETH receptors exist in A. gallica 012m and ethylene might play an important role in the plant-fungi interaction.

Physical and Chemical Properties of Pineapple Fruit of cv. Pada and cv. Sarawak in Response to Flowering Hormones

Pineapple flowering can be stimulated through artificially induced flowering (AIF) to ensure year-round production. The post effect gains from AIF is currently not universally acknowledged by previous studies, therefore, this study aims to evaluate the physical and chemical fruit properties in response to different AIF practices on cv. Pada, and cv. Sarawak. The AIF was applied to 9-month-old plants with nine treatments being tested, consisting of calcium carbide (CaC2), naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), and ethephon at various concentrations. The fruit samples were collected at a maturity index of 5 in order to determine its physical (total fruit weight, fruit weight without crown, total fruit length, fruit length without crown, fruit diameter, peduncle length and peduncle diameter) and chemical properties (pH, total soluble solid and titratable acidity). The results showed that the total fruit weight as well as fruit weight without crown on cv. Pada and total fruit weight on cv. Sarawak were not affected by AIF treatments. The study showed a significantly higher fruit weight in T7 (low ethephon concentration) in comparison to T10 (high ethephon concentration) and T4 (NAA treatment) was recorded on cv. Sarawak. The trend of fruit length without crown on both cultivars decreased as the hormone concentration increased. The peduncle length exhibited significantly shorter in T3 (high CaC2 concentration) for cv. Pada, and T10 (high ethephon concentration) for cv. Sarawak at 30%, and 15% shorter than other treatments, respectively. In fruit chemical properties, TSS and TA on cv. Pada showed a significant difference, this particular result may have been influenced by an external factor such as the environmental conditions during the fruit ripening stage due to differing harvesting periods between the treatments. Overall, the study suggests that the AIF treatments may affect some of the physical and chemical fruit properties either via the direct or indirect response toward AIF.

Effect of Ethephon on Ripening and Postharvest Quality of Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum) During Storage

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of ethephon (2-chloroethyl phosphonic acid) on ripening and postharvest quality of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Four concentrations of ethephon viz. 250, 500, 750 and 1000 ppm were applied in the experiment for ripening of tomato under ambient conditions (22±2oC & 80±5% RH) with a control (0 ppm ethephon) in two consecutive years 2012 - 2013. The tomato fruits of ‘Udayan’ variety at breaker stage were harvested from the farmers’. The treated fruits were assessed for ripening percentage and biochemical properties such as total soluble solids (TSS) (%), titratable acidity (%), ascorbic acid content (mg/100g) and total carotenoids (mg/100g). The observations were recorded at 3, 6, 9 and 12 days after storage. The maximum TSS and total carotenoids were found in tomato treated with ethephon concentration @750 - 1000 ppm after 6 days of storage. From the experiment, it was found that ethephon can be applied @750 – 1000 ppm in breaker stage of tomato for uniform ripening within 6 days of storage at ambient temperature. The applied ethephon was estimated as 0.18 - 0.88 ppm at edible stage (6 days of storage), which was lower than the maximum residue limit (MRL) (2 ppm of ethephon) and safe for human consumption.
 Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 45(3): 303-314, September 2020

Effects of Ethephon treatments on Ripening and Uniformity of Fig Fruit (Ficus carica. L)

The current experiment was carried out to determine the effect of the application of ethephon on the maturation of “Peter” figs. Fig fruits were treated with three aqueous concentrations of ethephon (500, 1000, and 1500 ppm) during the developmental stage. The physic-chemical characteristics, such as fruit weight, fruit length, fruit diameter, total soluble solids (TSS), and fruit acidity were recorded and analysed. The results showed that ethephon application during the developmental period of the fig fruits significantly accelerated fruit ripening and enhanced the fruits’ uniformity. Fig fruits treated with ethephon showed increased TSS compared to untreated fruits, and the acidity of the treated fruit decreased compared to that of untreated fruits. Additionally, TSS/ acidity ratio was significantly higher in 1500 ppm treatment in comparison with other treatments. On the basis of our data, we conclude that the application of ethephon to fig fruit increases ripening and uniformity of the fruit.