Question

A plant has been sprayed with a chemical that promotes abscisic acid and inhibits ethylene until the fruit has been exposed to artificial light (like light bulbs indoors). Explain what this would mean for fruits picked at a farm and then sold in stores.

Answer 1

See the answer below

Step-by-step explanation:

The first thing is that ethylene as a plant hormone primarily functions as a major driver of fruit ripening ahead of abscisic acid. Hence, a fruit that is unable to synthesize or prevented from synthesizing ethylene will not show any sign of ripening.

For, a plant sprayed with an ethylene inhibitor, its fruit will be prevented from ripening. However, if the synthesis of ethylene is stimulated by the exposure of the fruit to artificial light, the implication is that such fruit will appear ripened or otherwise depending on the store it is sold.

If the store has artificial light, in no time, ethylene production would be stimulated and ripening will commence. If otherwise, such fruit will not show any sign of ripening until it is purchased off the store and taken to a home adorned with artificial lights.