Ethephon

Chemical properties

white to beige powder

Chemical properties

Ethephon is a white to tan powder. Commercial product is a white, waxy solid. Commercial products may be available as aqueous solutions or soluble concentrates.

The Uses of Ethephon

2-Chloroethyl)phosphonic acid (Ethephon) is the most widely used plant growth regulator. Ethephon is often used on wheat, coffee, tobacco, cotton, and rice in order to help the plant's fruit reach mat urity more quickly. The toxicity of Ethephon is actually very low, and any Ethephon used on the plant is converted very quickly to ethylene.

The Uses of Ethephon

Accelerates the preharvest ripening of fruits and vegetables.

Definition

ChEBI: A phosphonic acid compound having a 2-chloroethyl substituent attached to the P-atom.

Agricultural Uses

Plant growth regulator: Ethephon is a plant growth regulator used to promote fruit ripening, abscission, flower induction, and other responses. It is registered for use on a number of food, feed and nonfood crops (rubber plants, flax), greenhouse nursery stock, and outdoor residential ornamental plants, but is used primarily on cotton. Ethephon is applied to plant foliage by either ground or aerial equipment. It also may be applied by hand sprayer to certain home garden vegetables and ornamentals. Use practice limitations include prohibitions against applying ethephon through any type of irrigation system; feeding or grazing livestock in treated areas; and treating within 2 to 60 days of harvest, depending on the crop.

Trade name

AMCHEM® 68-250; ARVEST®; BASE® 250; BOLL’D®; BROMEFLOR®; BROMOFLOR®; CAMPOSAN®; CEPHA®; CEPHA® 10LS; CERONE®; CHIPCO® FLOREL PRO; ETHEPON®; ETHEL®; ETHEVERSE®; ETHREL®; FINISH®; FLORDIMEX®; FLOREL®; G-996®; KAMPOSAN®; PREP®; ROLLFRUCT®; TERPAL® (with mepiquat chloride); T-EXTRA®; TOMATHREL®

Safety Profile

Moderately toxic by ingestion. Mddly toxic by skin contact. A plant growth regulator. Caution: Spray formulations are quite acidic, about pH 1 .O. May be irritating to exposed skin and eyes, or if inhaled. When heated to decomposition it emits toxic fumes of Cl and POx.

Potential Exposure

Ethephon is an organophosphonate plant growth regulator used to promote fruit ripening, abscission, flower induction, and other responses. It is registered for use on a number of food, animal feed and nonfood crops (rubber plants, flax), greenhouse nursery stock, and outdoor residential ornamental plants, but is used primarily on cotton. Ethephon is applied to plant foliage by either ground or aerial equipment. It also may be applied by hand sprayer to certain home garden vegetables and ornamentals. Use practice limitations include prohibitions against applying ethephon through any type of irrigation system; feeding or grazing livestock in treated areas; and treating within 2 to 60 days of harvest, depending on the crop

Environmental Fate

Soil. Degrades rapidly in soil to phosphoric acid, ethylene and chloride ions (Hartley and Kidd, 1987) and naturally occurring substances (Humburg et al., 1989).
Chemical/Physical. In an aqueous solution at pH 3.5, ethepon begins to hydrolyze, releasing ethylene (Windholz et al., 1983).

Shipping

UN2928 Toxic solids, corrosive, organic, n.o.s., Hazard Class: 6.1; Labels: 6.1-Poisonous materials, 8-Corrosive material, Technical Name Required

Incompatibilities

Hygroscopic. Aqueous solutions are highly acidic. May cause corrosion if metals, especially when moisture is present. Contact with flammable material may cause fire and explosions. Contact with combustible or oxidizable materials may form heat-, shock-, and frictionsensitive explosive mixtures. Static electricity may also cause explosions. Keep away from all acids, especially dibasic organic acids, ammonium compounds, antimony sulfide, arsenic trioxide, metal sulfides, powdered metals, calcium aluminum hydride, cyanides, manganese dioxide, phosphorus, selenium, sulfur, thiocyanates, and zinc.

Waste Disposal

Destruction by alkali hydrolysis or incineration. Containers must be disposed of properly by following package label directions or by contacting your local or federal environmental control agency, or by contacting your regional EPA office.