Ethylene: Gaseous Hormone & Ripening — NEET Biology
✅ Asked in NEET 2025Which one of the following growth regulators is associated with fruit ripening and senescence?[Neet 2025]
Which one of the following growth regulators is associated with fruit ripening and senescence?[Neet 2025]
Match List-I with List-II: (NEET 2024) List-I: A. Ethylene B. Cytokinin C. Abscisic acid D. Gibberellin List-II: I. Increases length of stem II. Promotes senescence and abscission of leaves and flowers III. Delay in leaf senescence IV. Inhibits seed germination Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & NCERT explanation
Correct answer: A — Ethylene
Ethylene is the gaseous plant hormone associated with fruit ripening and senescence. It triggers climacteric ripening in fruits by activating enzymes that break down chlorophyll, convert starch to sugars, and soften cell walls. Ethylene also promotes leaf senescence and abscission. Gibberellins promote growth, cytokinins delay senescence, and auxins promote growth and development.
Read more NCERT concept on the PYQ
Ethylene is a simple gaseous PGR. It is synthesised in large amounts by tissues undergoing senescence and ripening fruits. Influences of ethylene on plants include horizontal growth of seedlings, swelling of axis in dicot seedlings, promotion of senescence, abscission in leaves and fruits and reduction in stem elongation.
NTA focuses on ethylene's role as a plant growth regulator synthesized during senescence and fruit ripening, and its multiple effects on plant physiology. Students commonly confuse ethylene with other hormones like gibberellins or auxins, or forget that it promotes senescence (aging) while also ripening fruits. The key point: ethylene is gaseous, acts on multiple tissues simultaneously, and while it promotes ripening in fruits, it reduces stem elongation and promotes abscission in leaves. Remember: ethylene = ripening + senescence + horizontal growth + reduced vertical growth.
What does NCERT say about Ethylene simple gaseous PGR?
Has this concept appeared in NEET?
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Through deep analysis of NEET and NTA, 88 of 90 questions from the NEET 2026 paper were matched straight from the MedicNEET Biology question bank.
88/90MedicNEET's Biology question bank is built from the same NCERT lines NTA picks repeatedly. Not random MCQs — questions crafted exactly like NTA crafts them.