*Fruit set (it is the development of the ovary and the initiation of the cell division)
*Fruit development
*Fruit ripening
During the third 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 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. During the ripening phenomenon fruit become soft textured and firmness, accumulate soluble sugars, reduction in organic acids, alterations in pigments leading to development of characteristic color, and production of volatiles responsible strongly for flavor, aroma and to overall sensory quality of 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.
Ripening phase of fruit
