While ethylene exposure is generally detrimental
to the postharvest quality of flowering
plants, the ethylene treatment of stock plants is
utilized to eliminate flowers in order to produce
more compact plants and maintain them
vegetatively. Geranium stock plants treated
with ethylene in the form of the commercial
growth regulator ethephon can yield as many
as 20% more cuttings than non-ethephontreated
plants (O’Donovan, 1993). Although
this is a benefit to producers, growers in Colorado
have expressed concern as to whether
ethylene treatment of stock plants might predispose
the flowers to increased rates of petal
abscission by increasing the plants’ sensitivity
to ethylene.