For years, ethylene has been known to humankind as the plant hormone responsible for fruit ripening. However, the multitasking aspect of ethylene is still being investigated as ever. It is one of the most diversified signaling molecules which acclimatize plant under adverse conditions. It promotes adventitious root formation, stem and petiole elongation, opening and closing of stomatal aperture, reduces salinity and metal stress, etc. Presence of ethylene checks the production and scavenging of reactive oxygen species by strengthening the antioxidant machinery. Meanwhile, it interacts with other signaling molecules and initiates a cascade of adaptive responses. In the present mini review, the biosynthesis and sources of ethylene production, interaction with other signaling molecules, and its exogenous application under different abiotic stresses have been discussed.

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Chromium toxicity to crops is a major scientific problem of the present time. Thus, scientific attempts have been made for reducing chromium toxicity to crop plants.• In this study, we examined the potential of ethylene (ET, 25 µM) and hydrogen sulphide (H 2 S, 10 µM) to alleviate hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI), 50 µM] stress in two pulse crops, black bean and mung bean, by assessing physiological and biochemical attributes.• Cr(VI) reduced shoot and root length in black bean and mung bean in comparison to the control. Plants had increased accumulation of oxidative stress markers, i.e. superoxide radicals (SOR), hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and lipid peroxidation (as malondialdehyde, MDA). The addition of AVG (an inhibitor of ET biosynthesis) and PAG (an inhibitor of H 2 S biosynthesis) to Cr(VI)-treated plants further increased Cr(VI) toxicity, suggesting their endogenous levels are important for tolerating Cr(VI) toxicity. However, supplementation with either ET or H 2 S alleviated Cr(VI) toxicity. Interestingly, ET did not rescue negative effects of PAG under Cr(VI) stress but NaHS rescued negative effect of AVG.• Overall, results indicate that, although both ET and H 2 S alleviate Cr(VI) stress, endogenous H 2 S is better. Furthermore, H 2 S appears to be a downstream signal for ET in alleviating Cr(VI) stress in these two pulse crops