Novel inhibitors of ethylene production in higher plants

Of a number of O-substituted hydroxylamine derivatives, N-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-a-aminooxy-propionic acid and α-aminooxyacetic acid inhibited ethylene production by etiolated mung bean hypocotyls by 50% at 3 and 6 μm concentrations, respectively. Their potency is thus similar to that of aminoethoxyvinylglycine (50% inhibition at 2 μM), the most potent inhibitor of ethylene production hitherto known. Methionine partially alleviated inhibition of ethylene production by a-aminooxy-acetic acid. The results are in agreement with the postulated involvement of pyridoxal phosphate in ethylene biosynthesis.