Abstract: Considerable progress in the regulation of ethylene biosynthesis and fruit ripening has been made over the past ten years. Under certain circumstances it has been a goal to prevent or delay fruit ripening in a reversible manner. Especially antisense genes expressed in transgenic plants have proved to be highly effective for inhibiting the specific expression of ripening-related genes. With elucidation of ethylene-mediated signal transduction pathway, it may prove to be of great value in regulation of fruit ripening by controlling this pathway.

Key words: Ethylene biosynthesis, Fruit ripening, Signal transduction, Ripeningrelated genes, Gene manipulation