Is Ethylene Causing Problems this Spring?
Below-freezing temperatures are forecasted for the Midwest, Northeast, and Great Lakes states over the next seven days. With low night temperatures, many seasonal retail establishments have fired up heaters to maintain minimum temperatures for newly arrived plants. Heaters can be a source of ethylene contamination, a challenging situation affecting the marketability of plants this season.
Ethylene is a plant hormone involved in ripening and senescence. As such, its presence in the greenhouse can cause leaf yellowing, premature leaf drop, flower bud abortion, epinasty, and stunted growth. Ethylene concentrations can build up in the greenhouse, especially when ventilation is poor due to the incomplete combustion of petroleum products in the exhaust of vehicles, equipment, and faulty heaters.
Because ethylene is odorless and colorless, sensitive plants can be used to indicate its presence. One of the best indicator plants for ethylene in the greenhouse is tomato. Tomato leaves bend downward when exposed to small ethylene concentrations – a phenomenon called epinasty. Growers can take the following practical steps to monitor for ethylene contamination:
- Place tomato plants near heaters, furnaces, or other suspected contamination sources, such as doorways where exhaust may enter. Younger plants, such as seedlings, are more sensitive to ethylene than older, flowering plants.
- Monitor plants for signs of epinasty.
- If plant growth becomes distorted, inspect heaters and improve air flow and ventilation.
- Place new tomato plants in the same locations as before and continue to monitor for any changes.
Once ethylene is suspected and the source confirmed, it can be eliminated to prevent further damage. For more detailed information, including images of plant responses to ethylene and a comprehensive list of floriculture crop responses, please visit e-Gro contributor Dr. Neil Mattson’s page on Ethylene in the Greenhouse: Symptoms, Detection & Prevention.
Beth Scheckelhoff
Extension Educator, The Ohio State UniversityBeth Scheckelhoff is an Extension Educator for Greenhouse Systems at The Ohio State University. Beth provides Ohio greenhouse vegetable and ornamental growers with research-based information and recommendations for crop production, pest management, business management, and produce safety topics via educational programs, individual consultations, and publications.
