What are the physiological processes that are regulated by ethylene in plants?

 * Ethylene promotes horizontal growth of seedlings, swelling of the axis and apical hook formation in dicot seedlings.
* Ethylene promotes senescence, abscission of plant organs (especially leaves and
flowers).
* Ethylene is highly effective in fruit ripening, enhancing respiration rate during ripening of fruit, rapid internode/petiole elongation in deep water rice plants, induces flowering in mango.
* Ethylene breaks seed and bud dormancy and initiates sprouting of potato tubers.
* Ethylene promotes root growth and root hair formation.
* Ethylene is used to initiate flowering and for synchronising fruit set in pineapples.