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The Effect of Indole-3-acetic Acid and Other Growth Regulators on the Ripening of Avocado Fruits ¹

^a Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California 92502

Observations were made of the effects of several plant regulators, indole-3-acetic acid, kinetin, abscisic acid, and gibberellic acid, as well as of extracts prepared from leaves and fruit stalks on the respiration pattern, ethylene production, and the number of days to ripen of avocado fruits (Persea americana Mill.). These substances were vacuum infiltrated to insure good penetration and distribution. Kinetin, abscisic acid, gibberellic acid, and the extracts had no effect on either ripening time or on the respiration pattern and ethylene production of the fruits. Indoleacetic acid, however, had a marked effect on ripening. At high concentrations (100 and 1000 µM), indoleacetic acid stimulated respiration and induced preclimacteric ethylene production, resulting in accelerated ripening of the fruits. At the low concentrations (1 and 10 µM), it delayed ripening of fruits and suppressed the climacteric respiration and ethylene production. The results reinforce several previous observations with other fruits that auxins may largely constitute `resistance to ripening' and may be responsible for the lack of ripening shown by unpicked fruits.

¹ This study represents part of the Ph.D. dissertation submitted by P.O.T.