The role of ethrel in plant growth and development under different environmental conditions

A phytohormone may be defined as an organic substance other than a nutrient, active in very minute amounts which is formed in certain parts of the plant and which is usually translocated to other sites, where it evokes specific biochemical, physiological and morphological responses. Hormones are effective at internal concentration of about 1 µM, where as other metabolites necessary for growth and development are usually present at concentration 1 to 50 µM. The most commonly used and best understood group of plant growth hormones consists of those which regulate the production of ethylene. Ethylene is the simplest olfin, which exists in the gaseous state under normal physiological conditions. It is colourless with ether like smell and is lighter than air. It is also highly flammable and more soluble in water than air O2 or N2. Ethylene is known to exert its effects by altering gene expression both at transcriptional and post transcriptional phases. Ethrel is versatile ethylene releasing agent have remarkable marketed value and registered for several crops. It is involved in a diverse array of cellular, developmental and stress-released processes in plants. Ethrel reduces the problem of pod shattering by restricting the flower and pod abortions. It also improves the crop by manipulating source/sink relationship at pod development stage. In this study a number of examples of the role played by ethrel in the growth and development of plants are described; plant height, leaf number, leaf area, leaf area index, dry weight, chlorophyll, photosynthesis, photosynthetic active radiation, nutrient uptake, seed yield, biological yield, harvest index, oil yield, amino acid content, protein content and fatty acid. So the present study indicates that the process of growth and development in addition to the yield of plants is significantly affected by the ethrel in both irrigated and non -irrigated conditions.