The complex transition, from juvenile to maturity stage, plant life cycle includes growth, reproduction, and senescence of its fundamental organs: leaves, flowers, and fruits. Growth and senescence of leaves, flowers, and fruits involve several genetic networks where phytohormone ethylene plays along with its interaction with other hormones, a key role integrating different signals, allowing the onset of conditions favorable for stage progression, reproductive success and determining how long these organs will live. Changes in ethylene level, its perception, and the hormonal crosstalk directly or indirectly regulate the lifespan of plants. The present review focused on ethylene's role in the development and senescence processes in leaves, flowers and fruits, paying special attention to the complex networks of ethylene crosstalk with other hormones. Moreover, the aspects with limited information have been highlighted for future research. Such information would be useful to extend this study’s understanding regarding the importance of the ethylene role in growth and senescence and help to design future research areas with the aim to improving the qualitative and quantitative traits of crops.

We investigated the potential of salicylic acid (SA) in alleviating the adverse effects of heat stress on photosynthesis in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cv WH 711. Activity of ribulose 1,5-bisphosp...

Sulphur (S) assimilation leads to the formation of glutathione (GSH) and alleviation of cadmium (Cd) stress. GSH is synthesized from its immediate metabolite cysteine, which also serves as a metabolite for ethylene formation through S‐adenosyl methionine. To assess the role of ethylene in S‐induced alleviation of Cd stress on photosynthesis, the effects of S or ethephon (ethylene source) on GSH and ethylene were examined in mustard (Brassica juncea L. cv. Varuna). Sufficient‐S at 100 mg S kg⁻¹ soil alleviated Cd‐induced photosynthetic inhibition more than excess‐S (200 mg S kg⁻¹ soil) via ethylene by increased GSH. Under Cd stress, plants were less sensitive to ethylene, despite high ethylene evolution, and showed photosynthetic inhibition. Ethylene sensitivity of plants increased with ethephon or sufficient‐S, triggering the induction of an antioxidant system, and leading to increased photosynthesis even under Cd stress. The effects of ethephon and S under Cd stress were similar. The effects of S were reversed by ethylene biosynthesis inhibitor, aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG), suggesting that ethylene plays an important role in S‐induced alleviation of Cd stress on photosynthesis.