What is the Difference Between Ethrel and Ethephon?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚Ethrel and ethephon are both plant growth regulators, but they have different roles and compositions. The key difference between ethrel and ethephon is that ethrel is a versatile plant growth regulator, while ethephon is the active ingredient in ethrel.
Ethrel:
- Used in major horticultural crops and cereals.
- Promotes ripening in tomatoes, reduces curing time, and promotes color development in flue-cured tobacco.
- Accelerates fruit maturity in apples and blueberries, loosens mature fruit from the stem in cherries, and reduces lodging in cereals.
- Can be moderately toxic and has the potential to cause severe skin irritation.
Ethephon:
- The active ingredient in ethrel.
- A synthetic version of the ripening hormone ethylene.
- Upon metabolism by the plant, it is converted into ethylene, a potent regulator of plant growth and ripeness.
- Often used on wheat, coffee, tobacco, cotton, and rice to help the plant's fruit reach ripeness more quickly.
- Also used by pineapple growers to initiate reproductive development and degreen mature-green pineapple fruits to meet produce marketing requirements.
In summary, ethrel is a plant growth regulator with various applications in horticultural crops and cereals, while ethephon is the active ingredient in ethrel that enables its growth-regulating properties.
Comparative Table: Ethrel vs Ethephon
Here is a table comparing the differences between Ethrel and Ethephon:
Property | Ethrel | Ethephon |
---|---|---|
Definition | Ethrel is a versatile plant growth regulator. | Ethephon is the active ingredient in Ethrel. |
Purpose | Ethrel is used to promote fruit maturity, loosen apples for easier harvest, and increase dormant fruit bud hardiness. | Ethephon is a plant growth regulator that influences the growth, tissues, and organs of plants. |
Application | Ethrel is applied as a foliar spray. | Ethephon is often applied as a spray, but its method of application may vary. |
Timing | Ethrel is applied when the fruit begins to color. | Ethephon is typically applied when the fruit begins to color. |
Residue Limits | Ethrel may have different residue limits depending on the country. | Ethephon has different maximum residue limits (MRLs) in various countries, such as 1 ppm in the U.S. and 0.7 ppm in Europe. |
Ethrel is a plant growth regulator that contains Ethephon as its major active ingredient. Both compounds are used to influence plant growth and maturity, but they have different applications and residue limits.
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