*Fruit set (the development of the ovary and the initiation of the cell division)
*Fruit development
*Fruit ripening
Fruit ripening generally is associated with loss of chlorophyll, unmasking of other pigments, development of odor and flavor, softening, production of ethylene, and hydrolysis of insoluble pectins.
During this phase, fruit increases in size mainly by cell expansion. Once the fruit cells have fully expanded and the fruit matured, the ripening process ensues. Fruit ripening is accompanied by a number of biochemical events that are crucial for the sensory quality. It is the process by which fruits attain their desirable flavor, quality, color, palatable nature and other textural properties.
Fruit ripening is a complex, genetically programmed process that occurs in conjunction with the differentiation of chloroplasts into chromoplasts and involves changes to the organoleptic properties of the fruit.
It is a complex process regulated by both genetic and epigenetic factors. It includes changes occurring in physiologically mature green fruit through the early stages of senescence and is responsible for characteristic aesthetic and/ or food quality attributes of fruit.
All biochemical and physiological changes that take place during fruit ripening are driven by the coordinated expression of fruit ripening-related genes. These genes encode enzymes that participate directly in biochemical and physiological changes.
They also encode regulatory proteins that participate in the signaling pathways, and in the transcriptional machinery that regulate gene expression and set in motion the ripening developmental program.
The seeds become mature prior to ripening. The seeds become mature prior to ripening. During ripening fruit become soft textured, and accumulate soluble sugars, pigments and aroma volatiles which responsible strongly for flavor, aroma and to overall sensory quality of fruit.
Starch is hydrolyzed to simple sugars, phenolic compounds are removed either by being metabolized or polymerized, and the structure of the cell wall and middle lamella are altered by specific enzymes. These catabolic reactions produce a sweet, soft and pleasant-tasting edible fruit.
Pigments are essential for the attractiveness of fruits, accumulating most often in the skin during the ripening process, although many climacteric fruits accumulate pigments also in their pulp tissue.
At the late stages of ripening, some senescence-related physiological changes results in large losses of fruit crops due to cell structures deteriorate and the fruit become susceptible to pathogens. Excessive softening results in shorter shelf life during storage, transportation and distribution, and increased wastage.
What happens during fruit ripening stage?
