Two laser-based detection setups, one involving photothermal deflection and the other photoacoustics, have been used to follow ethylene release when ripening cherry tomatoes (cv. Favorita) were mechanically wounded. Removing the calyx caused a double peak in ethylene release, the first peak over l-2 h and the second over the next 4-7 h. Wounding the stem-scar yields similar results. However, wounding part of the fruit skin led to modest and variable releases of ethylene, much less than given on calyx-removal or stem-scar wounding. This higher emission does not originate from ethylene accumulated in the tomato already before wounding. Laser systems are shown to be useful in quantifying ethylene-releasing systems.