Fig fruits treated with 2-chloroethylphosphonic acid (Ethrel)2 during Period I (initial rapid growth) ceased growth and abscissed. Treatment during Period II (slow growth) stimulated growth and maturation, but quality equal to that of later maturing control fruits was not attained unless the fruits were treated late in Period II. Although Ethrel-treated fruits matured from two to more than three weeks earlier than control fruits, their ultimate average diameter, fresh and dry weights were not significantly different from the control.
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Crane et al. (1970) studied this question.