Ethephon+Plant+Regulation

FLOREL brand Ethephon Plant Growth Regulator La**b**
** Amanda and Ryann **

media type="file" key="ryann and amanda_FLOREL.wav" width="300" height="50"

__ Abstract __ ** FLOREL brand Ethephon Plant Growth Regulator Experiment **. **Amanda Hotvedt and Ryann Swansen**. The purpose of this lab was to test the effects of FLOREL brand ethephon, or 2-chloroethylphosphonic acid, on green bananas and hyacinth plants. Both high and low concentrations of ethephon solution were calculated using conversion factors to find the necessary concentration of FLOREL chemical to add for this small-scale experiment. The same high and low concentrations were used in both experiments. The high concentration solution sprayed on one of the hyacinths prevented the bud from flowering. The leaves were still green, signaling the plant was still alive. The plant treated with low concentration solution flowered slowly, but still managed to open. The untreated plant blossomed beautifully, growing the tallest and having the largest, healthiest-looking flowers. The high concentration solution caused the green bananas to become yellow and brown extremely fast. The low concentration also caused rapid change; the bananas turned yellow and brown quickly as well. The control bananas that were not sprayed became yellow within the three-day experiment, looking very ripe. Additional tests were performed to test the difference between spraying bananas and dipping bananas in ethephon. Iodine and Fehling’s solution were created in the lab to test for starch and sugar content in the bananas. Neither of these tests resulted in change of color or generation of precipitate as expected. This experiment suggests that ethephon inhibits the flowering and growth of plants, and possibly increases ripening speed of fruits but could also just damage the skin of bananas at these concentrations.

Key Words: ethephon, translocation, plant growth regulator, ethylene, ripening process, Fehling's solution

__Lab Apparatus__



__Example of Results__

__Summary Graphic__



__ Citations __ Dreistadt, S. H. & Clark, J. K. (2004). //Pests of landscape trees and shrubs: An integrated pest management guide.// Oakland: ANR Publications. . // Ethephon. // Plant Growth Regulators. Page 784. Retrieved from @http://www.rsc.org/pdf/general/17etheph.pdf.

// Florel brand ethephon plant growth regulator //. (2010, June 01). Bayer CropScience. Retrieved from [].

Keusch, P. (2003). Fehling’s Test. Retrieved May 22, 2012, from [|http://www.uni-regensburg.de/Fakultaeten/nat_Fak_IV/Organische_Chemie/Didaktik/Keusch/D-Fehling-e.htm.]

Liu, L. Feng, X, & Amit Chakma. (2003). Unusual behavior of poly(ethylene oxide)/AgBF4 polymer electrolyte membranes for olefin–paraffin separation. //Separation and Purification Technology, 38//. Retrieved May 20, 2012, from [].

Perry, E., & Lagarbo, A. (n.d.). Ethephon sprays eliminate the messy, hazardous fruits of flowering pear and liquidambar. //California Agriculture Online//. Retrieved February 14, 2012, from [|http://californiaagriculture.ucanr.org/landingpage.cfm?article=ca.v048n02p21&fulltext=yes#].

Ripe fruits – starch to sugar. //The Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology Incorporated.// Retrieved May 22, 2012, from [].

Ross, K. (n.d.). Translocation. //Plant Physiology Information Website//. Retrieved February 14, 2012, from @http://plantphys.info/plant_physiology/translocation.shtml

Sims, W. L. (1969). //Effects of ethrel on fruit ripening of tomatoes//. (Master's thesis, University of California, Davis) Retrieved from, [].

Siriboon, N. & Banlusilp, P. A study on the ripening process of ‘Namwa’ banana. (Assumption University, Bangkok). Retrieved May 22, 2012, from [].

// The Merck Index // (14th ed.). (2006). Whitehouse Station, N.J.: Merck.