Plums are harvested while they are unripe and stored at a wholesale depot before being exposed to ethene.
The depot tested equal batches of plums using different concentrations of ethene. All other conditions were kept the same.
| Concentration of ethene in parts per million | Time taken to ripen in hours | Percentage of fruit overripe after 96 hours |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 180 | 0 |
| 50 | 72 | 4 |
| 100 | 60 | 8 |
| 200 | 48 | 18 |
Batch P is needed for a sale that begins in 72 hours. Batch Q is needed for a sale that begins in 120 hours.
The depot will use 50 parts per million of ethene for both batches.
Explain how the timing of the ethene treatment should differ for the two batches.
A customer needs another batch of plums to ripen within 60 hours. Fewer than 10% of the plums should be overripe after 96 hours.
Using the table, suggest the most suitable concentration of ethene for this batch. Use the data to support your choice.
One ripening room can hold one batch at a time. A new batch is placed in the room immediately after the previous batch has ripened.
Calculate the percentage increase in the number of complete batches that can be ripened in 30 days using 50 parts per million of ethene rather than no ethene.
105 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE Biology 6.3 Plant hormones, covering 6.3.1 Plant hormones and tropisms and 6.3.2 Commercial uses of plant hormones. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.