Fruit ripening process

Carotenoid accumulation during fruit ripening in tomato has been studied extensively and is a good model system to elucidate the regulation of the process. During ripening the concentration of carotenoids increases between 10 and 15-fold due mainly to a 500-fold increase in the concentration of lycopene (Fraser et al, 1994 Table 13.5). Accumulation of lycopene begins... 

Role of pectin methylesterase in tomato fruit ripening and quality attributes of processed tomato juice... 

Ethene is produced naturally by fruits such as tomatoes and bananas as a plant hormone for the ripening process of these fruits. 

Differentiation can be defined as the process of specialisation in terms of shape and function. An example is cell differentiation in plants, animals and humans a young cell, which is initially multifunctional, gradually acquires one specific function and shape. Specialisation is a refinement that is expressed in terms of shape, scent and colour. For example, fruits ripen, leaves change colour in the autumn, the growth of a shoot ends in a terminal bud and seeds become dormant. The primary components are converted into secondary components such as phenols, vitamins, aromas, wax, and so on. Thus differentiation in this context has a broader meaning than only the formation of a new plant organ . 

---