HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Heilman, M. D. Articles by Gonzalez, C. L. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Heilman, M. D. Articles by Gonzalez, C. L. Agricola Articles by Heilman, M. D. Articles by Gonzalez, C. L.

Ethylene Production in the Cotton Plant (Gossypium birsutum L.) Canopy and Its Effect on Fruit Abscission¹

Using gas solid chromatography, ethylene was determined in excised plant tissue and in the atmosphere at midpoint of the mature cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) canopy in the field. The ethylene produced from excised tissue was: leaves, 1,2 x 10^–9 moles/g; immature capsules, 0.35 x 10^–9 moles/g; bolls, 0.07 x 10^–9 moles/g; and pink blooms, 2 x 10^–9 moles/g. The ethylene in the atmosphere at the midpoint of the cotton canopy was 3.6 x 10^–12 moles/ml while the atmosphere surrounding an individual pink bloom contained 8 x 10^–12 moles/ml ethylene. Ethylene was applied at rates of 9.3 x 10^–12 and 18.6 x 10^–12 moles/ml to fruiting field-grown cotton plants enclosed in plastic bags. A statistically significant increase in abscission of immature capsules and bolls was found for the 18.6 x 10^–12 moles/ml-treated plants.

Key Words: Growth regulator • Fruit shed • Gas chromatography

² Research Soil Scientist, Research Chemist, and Soil Scientist, respectively, USDA, Weslaco, Texas 78596.