Developmental and Ripening-Related Effects on the Cell Wall of Pepino (Solanum muricatum) Fruit

Several cell wall components in ripening pepino fruit have been quantitatively and qualitatively characterised, with the aim of identifying their contributions to the loss of tissue firmness. Pepinos were graded into nine groups based on progressive, characteristic skin colour changes, previously shown to correspond with decreasing fruit firmness. While fruit softening began when the pepinos were still green but with newly acquired purple stripes, the first significant quantitative signs of cell wall modification (total pectin and hemicellulose content declining and CDTA‐soluble pectin content increasing, on a fresh weight basis) were detectable later in ripening, when the fruit began to acquire yellow skin pigmentation. Gel fractionation studies demonstrated that there were increased levels of low‐molecular‐weight pectin and xyloglucan during pepino ripening. The change in molecular weight distribution of CDTA‐soluble pectin occurred as fruit started to acquire yellow pigmentation, while xyloglucan polymers were modified at an earlier stage that coincided with the initial loss of firmness. © 1997 SCI.