Ethephon is the same as ethylene. It mainly enhances the ability of ribonucleic acid synthesis in cells and promotes protein synthesis. In the separation zone of plants such as the petiole, fruit stalk, and petal base, the increase in protein synthesis promotes the re-synthesis of cellulase in the separation layer, which accelerates the formation of the separation layer and leads to organ shedding. Ethephon can enhance the activity of enzymes and activate phosphatase and other enzymes related to fruit ripening when the fruit is ripe, and promote fruit ripening. In senescent or susceptible plants, Ethephon promotes protein synthesis and causes peroxidase changes.

Ethephon has the effects of promoting female flower differentiation; promoting fruit ripening; promoting plant dwarf; breaking plant dormancy.

Ethephon is a plant growth regulator. It has the physiological effects of plant hormones to increase the secretion of emulsions, accelerate maturation, shedding, senescence, and promote flowering. Ethylene can be released in the roots, pods, leaves, stems, flowers and fruits of plants to regulate the metabolism, growth and development of plants. It can promote the early maturity of various melons and fruits, such as bananas, citrus, tomatoes, watermelons, etc., it can promote the spitting of rubber, sumac; it can promote the early flowering of female flowers and more female flowers of cucumber; it can be used to accelerate the ripening of cotton and tobacco, and also inhibit plant growth, make plants shorter, break seed dormancy.

Used in the production of natural rubber, benzoin and lacquer, Ethephon has a significant effect on increasing production. Ethephon is used to promote early maturity of cotton, focus on spitting, increase in tidbits, and improve grades, which is conducive to the mechanization of cotton farming; it can also be used for ripening of bananas and tomatoes, ripening of early rice, yellowing of tobacco leaves, regulating pineapple bloom, gender conversion of melon flowers, male sterilization of wheat, and coloration of apples and oranges.