Carbon dioxide action on ethylene biosynthesis of preclimacteric and climacteric pear fruit.

Ethylene production in pear fruit was studied at 2 degrees C. Several observations showed that the inhibiting effect of CO2 on ethylene production did not operate only via the binding site of the ethylene binding protein. Ethylene production of freshly harvested pears was stimulated by 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), but unaffected or inhibited by CO2 which points to different action sites for both molecules.