Genetic Regulation of Tomato Fruit Ripening1

Abstract

Abstract Ripening is a dramatic event in the development of many fleshy fruits. Tomato ripening involves a number of chemical and physical changes which convert the fruit from a relatively inedible state to one of optimal quality (2, 19). These changes appear to be highly synchronized, as evidenced by the fact that respiratory patterns, rate of ethylene production, carotene development, and flavor and textural changes normally associated with the ripening process, occur in close succession during the relatively short period in which the fruit ripens (2, 22). The association of these changes with seed maturation supports the popular view that ripening is of adaptive significance in seed dispersal by rendering fruit attractive to animals responsible for dispersal.