Final answer:
Ethylene is the plant growth regulator responsible for fruit ripening and leaf abscission. It is a volatile gas that is used by both nature and agricultural practices to control various aspects of plant development.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ethylene is the plant growth regulator that is a small gas molecule influential in various aspects of plant development, including fruit ripening and leaf abscission. It is a volatile gas and is associated with flower wilting, leaf fall, and the ripening of fruits. Ethylene is widely used in agriculture to control the timing of fruit ripening and to inhibit leaf dropping in ornamental plants.
The name for the plant growth regulator that is a small gas molecule influential in fruit ripening and leaf abscission is ethylene. Ethylene, a volatile gas with the formula C2H4, is known for its dual role in plants which includes: (1) helping to ripen fruit, and (2) being involved in abscission, the process where plants shed their leaves, flowers, and fruits. It has been notably observed that when commercial fruit growers wish to control the timing of fruit ripening, they apply ethylene gas to achieve desired results. Similarly, horticulturalists use ethylene control methods, such as removing the gas from greenhouses, to inhibit leaf dropping from ornamental plants. Understanding the effects of ethylene demonstrates its importance in both natural plant processes and agricultural practices.