What is ethylene and what are its effects?

What is ethylene and what are its effects?

• A. A synthetic gas used in packaging
• B. A plant hormone that slows blooming
• C. A natural gas produced by all plants that causes abscission of florets and leaves, leaf yellowing, and flower distortion
• D. A chemical used to preserve color

Answer: (C)

Ethylene is a plant hormone that exists as a gas. It is produced naturally by all plants and acts as a signal to speed up aging and senescence. In flowers and leaves, ethylene triggers abscission (flowers and leaves dropping off), yellowing of foliage, and sometimes distortion of blossoms. For cut flowers, exposure to ethylene shortens vase life by hastening aging and can cause petals to drop or petals/flowers to deform. It’s not a synthetic gas used in packaging, not a chemical that preserves color, and it doesn’t slow blooming—the effects are the opposite, promoting aging and senescence.

Ethylene is a plant hormone that exists as a gas. It is produced naturally by all plants and acts as a signal to speed up aging and senescence. In flowers and leaves, ethylene triggers abscission (flowers and leaves dropping off), yellowing of foliage, and sometimes distortion of blossoms. For cut flowers, exposure to ethylene shortens vase life by hastening aging and can cause petals to drop or petals/flowers to deform. It’s not a synthetic gas used in packaging, not a chemical that preserves color, and it doesn’t slow blooming—the effects are the opposite, promoting aging and senescence.