ethephon

Cotton is the most important single crop use for ethephon.

Ethephon is the most widely used plant growth regulator.

Ethephon also is widely used by pineapple growers to initiate reproductive development (force) of pineapple.

Ethephon is also sprayed on mature-green pineapple fruits to degreen them to meet produce marketing requirements.

Although many environmental groups worry about toxicity resulting from use of growth hormones and fertilizers, the toxicity of ethephon is actually very low, and any ethephon used on the plant is converted very quickly to ethylene.