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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and Latest News Articles
This is where hundreds of frequently asked questions and answers and all Latest News articles are presented for a wide spectrum of postharvest care and marketing subjects in searchable and browsing formats. The following Q&A exemplify what can be expected in this section. Note that Members can have many of their own questions answered here.
Q. What are the common sources of ethylene
gas in greenhouses?
A. Probably the biggest ethylene source in heated greenhouses
is exhaust fumes that are produced by the combustion of fossil
fuels in furnaces, space heaters, trucks, and certain forklifts
as ethylene is often a byproduct of combustion. Two sources of
ethylene in non-heated South and Central American greenhouses
are burn piles (fires) that are sometimes utilized during frost
warnings and in some areas, pollution is an important source.
Q. What are the sources of ethylene gas in
mass market distribution centers?
A. Three main culprits are leakage from banana ripening rooms
and propane or gas powered forklifts and floor cleaners.
Q. What are the common sources of ethylene
gas in a retail florist?
A. As with greenhouses, exhaust from heaters can be a problem
but the more likely major source is exhaust from cars and delivery
vans. And let's not forget fruit and plant debris. Cigarette smoke
is always a problem source, especially in confined spaces.
