Beneficial effects of ethephon application on sugarcane under sub-tropical climate of China
2004
Li, Yang-rui
A series of experiments were carried out since 1980’s to assess the efficacy of ethephon and augment sugar production efficiency in China. Ethephon was not only applied as an effective chemical ripener, but also used to promote cane growth by spraying at lower concentration on the leaves at early growth stage of sugarcane or soaking seed canes before planting. Numerous beneficial response following ethephon application were recorded. It has been also found that the low concentration of ethephon promoted the differentiation of vascular bundles and enlarged the areas of epigenetic vessels and phloem in the leaves thereby improving the inner transport system of the plants, increased the root activity and promoted the absorption ability, promoted the differentiation of chloroplasts and increasing total photosynthetic area and the chlorophyll content and the activities of the important enzymes related to photosynthesis, affected many important enzymes that were related to growth and sugar accumulation, and produced more tillers, more rapid plant growth and finally higher cane and sugar yield. In addition to its beneficial impact on growth, ethethon treatments significantly increased the drought resistance of sugarcane plants by inducing some morphological alterations, physiological metabolisms such as increasing activities of the protective enzymes, the content of proline and osmotic potential and maintaining the stability of cell membrane. Its role as an effective ripening agent under sub-tropical condition has also been well established. Based on the extensive practical evidences, ethephon application in commercial sugarcane plantation could be highly profitable for the sugar industry of China, if applied in proper concentration and at right time.
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