Catabolic Changes in Ripening Tomato Fruit

FRUITS display unique physiological action during the ripening phase. It is known that the climacteric rise in respiratory rate may be related to the accelerated protein synthesis which is observed with concurrent build-up in concentration of phosphate acceptors and several enzymes 1–4 . Ethylene appears to play an important part in fruit ripening since it is not only one of the constituents of fruit emanation but also is capable of inducing the onset of the ripening process. Although the exact mechanism of the climacteric rise is not yet known, several investigators have suggested that the phenomena may be related to basic changes in the carbohydrate catabolism of fruit 2,5 .