Aminoethoxyvinylglycine

A plant growth regulator that slows ripening by blocking ethylene synthesis at its source — it inhibits ACC synthase, the rate-limiting enzyme of the ethylene pathway. Sold as ReTain, it is sprayed on apples, pears and stone fruit to delay maturity, cut pre-harvest fruit drop and stretch the picking window, giving growers flexibility when labour or weather is tight. Unlike 1-MCP, which blocks ethylene perception in stored fruit, it throttles production in the orchard. Residues on harvested fruit are regulated under pesticide maximum residue limits, and treated fruit must meet the same safety standards as any other crop.