Table 1.

Plant dry mass, leaf area, net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, intercellular CO₂ concentration, ACS activity, and ET evolution in five cultivars of mustard (Brassica juncea L.) at 30 days after sowing following foliar Eth treatment of 10-days-old seedlings. Values are means ± SE (n = 4). Data means followed by the same letter are not significantly different at p ≤ 0.05 according to the LSD test. ACS: 1-1minocyclopropane carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase; ET: ethylene; Eth: ethephon.

Cultivar	Ethephon (mmol)	Plant Dry Mass (g plant−1)	Leaf Area (cm2 plant−1)	Net Photosynthesis (µmol CO2 m−2 s−1)	Stomatal Conductance (mmol CO2 m−2 s−1)	Intercellular CO2 Concentration (µmol CO2 mol−1)	ACS Activity (ng ACC kg−1 (FM) s−1)	Ethylene (ng kg−1 (FM) s−1)
PM-27	0 (control)	1.14 ± 0.10 o	100.5 ± 7.1 n	9.7 ± 1.0 j	268.1 ± 11.5 m	221.9 ± 25.4 m	32.1 ± 2.0 h	19.6 ± 1.5 g
	0.5	1.38 ± 0.15 l	108.3 ± 8.1 j	10.1 ± 1.4 j	286.6 ± 12.6 l	239.5 ± 27.5 ij	33.4 ± 2.4 g	20.8 ± 1.8 ef
	1.0	1.57 ± 0.19 jk	115.5 ± 9.1 gh	11.6 ± 1.8 hi	317.1 ± 13.3 i	267.5 ± 29.8 g	35.4 ± 3.3 f	22.7 ± 1.9 de
	2.0	1.68 ± 0.1 j	121.5 ± 8.3 ef	13.8 ± 1.6 f	359.6 ± 12.3 g	295.8 ± 28.3 d	38.6 ± 3.2 cd	25.1 ± 2.6 c
PM-28	0 (control)	1.11 ± 0.10 o	100.7 ± 6.4 n	8.3 ± 1.0 k	255.2 ± 10.4 p	219.6 ± 23.4 m	31.3 ± 1.8 h	18.5 ± 1.6 gh
	0.5	1.32 ± 0.11 m	107.3 ± 6.8 j	8.6 ± 1.3 jk	271.4 ± 11.6 m	234.5 ± 24.6 jk	32.6 ± 1.9 gh	19.4 ± 1.8 g
	1.0	1.39 ± 0.15 l	112.3 ± 7.6 i	9.6 ± 1.7 j	283.3 ± 12.6 l	256.6 ± 25.gh	33.6 ± 2.4 fg	20.3 ± 1.9 f
	2.0	1.48 ± 0.14 k	117.1 ± 7.3 g	11.4 ± 1.4 i	324.6 ± 12.7 h	285.9 ± 25.6 ef	36.7 ± 2.1 de	22.5 ± 2.1 de
Pusa Agrani	0 (control)	1.23 ± 0.10 n	102.6 ± 5.9 lm	11.4 ± 1.0 i	298.3 ± 11.7 k	224.4 ± 25.lm	33.2 ± 2.2 g	21.5 ± 1.4 ef
	0.5	1.51 ± 0.07 k	113.3 ± 4.6 hi	12..1 ± 1.4 h	329.4 ± 12.8 h	244.8 ± 27.8 i	35.1 ± 3.1 f	23.1 ± 1.8 d
	1.0	1.78 ± 0.17 hi	124.2 ± 9.3 de	13.8 ± 1.8 f	360.3 ± 13.8 fg	278.8 ± 30.2 f	36.7 ± 3.6 ef	25.3 ± 2.0 c
	2.0	1.92 ± 0.14 g	130.3 ± 8.1 c	16.9 ± 1.7 c	419.7 ± 10.6 c	315.7 ± 29.6 c	40.5 ± 3.3 c	28.6 ± 2.6 b
Pusa Jagannath	0 (control)	1.73 ± 0.10 j	103.7 ± 7.3 l	12.1 ± 0.96 h	311.8 ± 11.9 j	224.6 ± 29.5 l	35.1 ± 2.4 f	23.4 ± 1.5 d
	0.5	2.13 ± 0.07 f	117.8 ± 8.7 g	13.1 ± 11.6 g	356.6 ± 12.5 g	249.5 ± 31.3 hi	37.5 ± 3.3 de	25.3 ± 2.0 c
	1.0	2.54 ± 0.07 d	128.4 ± 12.7 d	14.9 ± 1.9 e	386.2 ± 15.1 de	289.7 ± 33.7 e	39.2 ± 3.8 cd	27.6 ± 2.6 bc
	2.0	2.75 ± 0.47 c	134.9 ± 12.5 b	18.6 ± 1.7 ab	457.6 ± 13.3 b	345.4 ± 33.4 b	43.5 ± 3.6 ab	31.4 ± 2.7 a
Pusa Vijay	0 (control)	1.82 ± 0.09 h	106.2 ± 7.6 k	12.2 ± 1.3 h	312.8 ± 12.6 j	226.1 ± 31.1 l	35.7 ± 3.0 ef	23.4 ± 1.5 d
	0.5	2.27 ± 0.26 e	123.5 ± 11.5 e	13.5 ± 1.7 f	365.6 ± 13.1 f	255.9 ± 33.7 h	38.6 ± 3.7 cd	25.6 ± 2.1 c
	1.0	3.09 ± 0.34 b	135.4 ± 15.6 b	15.6 ± 1.9 d	396.7 ± 17.9 d	299.1 ± 36.4 d	40.3 ± 4.1 c	28.5 ± 2.6 b
	2.0	3.26 ± 0.31 a	141.5 ± 14.2 a	19.4 ± 1.56 a	469.6 ± 14.6 a	358.3 ± 35.8 a	45.3 ± 4.0 a	32.3 ± 2.8 a