IMPROVING ETHEPHON’S EFFECT ON OLIVE FRUIT DROP BY GLYCERINE

Buffered ethephon (pH 7) has been in use for several years to facilitate mechanical fruit harvesting of olives in Israel.
The actual results were not always satisfactory, especially in the more arid regions of the country.
Previous studies indicated that the reason for occasional failures was hot and dry weather conditions, that caused rapid drying of the sprayed solution, with the result that uptake of ethephon into the plant tissues was not adequate.

Addition of 1% glycerine to the spraying solution, delayed evaporation of the solution and dryness of the sprayed tissue.
The amount of ethephon which penetrated into the plant tissue was increased by 345%, and resulted in better fruit drop under similar climatic conditions.
It was found that glycerine did not enhance ethephon uptake.
Its sole contribution was to postpone dryness, thereby extending the period of time during which absorbance occurred.

Manipulation of Ethylene Responses in Horticulture, XXII IHC

Y. Ben-Tal

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1987.201.10