Carbon dioxide concentrations in containers are frequently controlled by using a diethanolaminebicarbonate buffer. Current studies show that this buffer produces ethylene and that the production increases with increasing pH and/or time in the incubation vessel. Ethylene is not produced when 3-amino-1-propanol is used instead of diethanolamine in the buffer solution. The modified buffer is equally or more effective in controlling the CO2 concentrations around plants incubated in the light or dark than the diethanolamine buffer.