Spraying tomatoes with ethylene has several advantages. The last unripe tomatoes can be stimulated to ripen, increasing profit and reducing food waste, according to a trial by the Swiss research institute Agroscope.
During the test, vine tomatoes in part of a greenhouse were covered with ethylene for eleven consecutive nights. The other part of the greenhouse was left untouched. The result was unbelievable: in the treated part of the greenhouse 16,000 bunches per hectare were harvested, which is about 8 tonnes per hectare (+2% of total revenue).
Fruit quality varied depending on the variety. Fruits treated with ethylene were usually slightly firmer, reports Agroscope. Ethylene tends to work on breaking down the chlorophyll rather than softening the skin which gives the appearance of ripe fruit but they are still firm. Ethylene had no effect on acidity.
Ethylene is a natural gas which fruits, particularly tomatoes, produce during the ripening process.