Explain the physiological effects of ethylene.

Explanation

• Ethylene stimulates respiration and ripening in fruits. It stimulates radial growth in stem and root and inhibits linear growth.
• It breaks the dormancy of buds, seeds and storage organs.
• It stimulates formation of abscission zone in leaves, flowers and fruits. This makes the leaves to shed prematurely.
• Inhibition of stem elongation (shortening the internode).
• In low concentration, ethylene helps in root initiation.
• Growth of lateral roots and root hairs. This increases the absorption surface of the plant roots.
• The growth of fruits is stimulated by ethylene in some plants. It is more marked in climacteric fruits.
• Ethylene causes epinasty.