In order to develop a sprayable ethylene antagonist, unlike 1-methylcyclopropene (MCP), we synthesized 2-decylcyclopropene-1-carboxylic acid ethyl ester (DCPE) as a derivative of cyclopropene and tested its effect on the flesh softening of ‘Fuyu’ persimmon fruits. The fruits on trees were sprayed with 4·10-4 M DCPE solution before harvest. After harvest, the persimmon fruits were stored at a low temperature for 1.5 months. The ripening progress of the fruits was then evaluated during storage at ambient temperature (20℃). Flesh softening, a measure of ethylene response, was considerably delayed up to 7 days after DCPE treatment. However control fruits was rapidly softened after 3-day storage. The treatment effect of DCPE at 4·10-4 M was also compared to that of 1-MCP at 1 ppm. DCPE was storable at refrigerated conditions for at least one month without any loss. The results show that DCPE could be a potential sprayable agent for the prevention of flesh softening of persimmon fruit.