ABSTRACT
Ethylene is produced by virtually all plant tissue, and its biosynthesis is controlled by a large number of environmental and physiological conditions. Extensive reviews of the role of ethylene in plant biology are presented by Abeles et al. 1 and Mattoo and Suttle.2 In general, increased ethylene production parallels physiological events such as fruit ripening, senescence, pollination, and abscission. Stress conditions such as physical wounding, herbivory, pathogen attack, chilling, heat stress, and flooding, as well as chemical stresses including high levels of ozone, sulfur dioxide, heavy metals, and radiation stimulate ethylene production in plant tissues. In addition, the plant hormones auxin, cytokinin, abscisic acid, and brassinosteroids interact with ethylene biosynthesis.
