Cellular and Molecular Aspects of the Plant Hormone Ethylene

The present volume contains the proceedings of the International Symposium on Cellular and Molecular Aspects of Biosynthesis and action of the Plant Hormone Ethylene, held in Agen, France, 1992. Since the last meetings in Israel (1984) and in Belgium (1988), ethylene physiology has gone through a period of exciting progress due to new developments in cellular and molecular biology. New methods and tools have been developed to better understand the role and functions of ethylene in fruit ripening, flower senescence, abscission, plant growth, and cell differentiation. Genes involved in ethylene biosynthesis have been characterized and transgenic plants with altered ethylene production have been generated. The feasibility of delaying fruit ripening or flower senescence by genetic manipulation has now been demonstrated, thus opening new perspectives for the post-harvest handling of plant products. Some progress has also been made on the understanding of ethylene action. However, much remains to be done in this area to elucidate the ethylene transduction pathway.