Use of ethephon will advance development of all the maturity-dependent changes. Stimulated ripening may be desirable where fruit is needed for early fresh market, for increasing the sweetness of early cider, or for getting an early start on harvesting a large crop. In summer cultivars it may be possible to harvest in one picking rather than 2 or 3. However, fruits that are ripened and picked more than about 1 week before normal are often inferior in quality and size compared to full-term fruits. The speed with which treated fruits ripen is influenced by the rate of ethephon applied, the nearness to normal ripening, the temperature during and after application, and the cultivar.
High temperatures hasten all ripening responses except red color development.
Serious losses have resulted in some instances where growers did not anticipate the potential problems. Treat only small amounts of any cultivar until you have experience with managing the harvest and the marketing of that cultivar. Move harvested fruit quickly into cold storage, market, or cider. Response of each fruit is related to the amount of ethephon deposited on that fruit's spur leaves, and other very nearby leaves. Therefore, dilute application is recommended, spraying to completely wet all fruited areas.