It is now known to be the hormone that stimulates or regulates fruit ripening and abscission, and it, or the synthetic growth regulator ethephon which is rapidly metabolised to produce ethylene, are used on industrial scale to promote ripening of cotton, pineapples and other climacteric crops.
Although grapes are a non-climacteric fruit, ethylene has been suggested to promote ripening by increasing modestly around véraison but its role is still unclear [ 6].
Acupuncture at this point is claimed to promote ripening of the cervix; the point is located 3 cm above the medial malleoli, and the needle is inserted to a depth of 1.5 2.5 cm. 8 GV20.
When climacteric fruit reach maturity, another process called System 2 is initiated to produce a burst in ethylene production to promote ripening while non-climacteric fruit are thought to remain in System 1 [ 4, 6, 7].
Fruit should be left to ripen on the counter, either out in the open or loosely in an open plastic bag to promote ripening.
Even in species where endogenous ethylene seems to play little if any role as an endogenous regulator, exogenous ethylene will often promote ripening characteristics and can be the target of post-harvest strategies designed to accelerate, synchronize or delay ripening.
