Ethylene

This is a picture of two bananas. These bananas are an example of the hormone ethylene. Ethylene is a natural hydrocarbon gas that you can't see or smell. Plants produce ethylene as part of the ripening process. Ethylene causes the change in texture, softening, and color in plants. As ethylene allows plants such as fruit to ripen, it also causes them to die. If a plant is injured or sickened by disease, ethylene is produced and can cause a wide range of effects. For example, it may result in a loss of chlorophyll, abortion of plant parts, bending of stems, and/or detachment of plant parts. Ethylene gas can be used commercially to ripen fruits at a faster rate. The bananas shown above demonstrate the effect of ethylene as the banana on the left appears unripened and the banana on the right is ripened. This shows that as ethylene is produced, fruit becomes ripened.





“Postharvest Information Network.” The Food Quality Protection Act of 1996,  
        postharvest.tfrec.wsu.edu/pages/PC2000F.