Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Catabolic Changes in Ripening Tomato Fruit

Abstract

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 enzymes1–4. 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 fruit2,5.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kidd, F., and West, C., Rep. Food Invest. Board, London, 1921, 17.

  2. Rowan, K. S., Pratt, H. K., and Robertson, R. N., Austral. J. Biol. Sci., 11, 329 (1958).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Robertson, R. N., and Turner, J. F., Austral. J. Sci. Res., Ser. B, 4, 92 (1951).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Neal, G. E., and Hulme, A. C., J. Exp. Bot., 9, 403 (1958).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Neal, G. E., and Hulme, A. C., J. Exp. Bot., 9, 142 (1958).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Doyle, W. P., and Wang, C. H., Canad. J. Bot., 36, 483 (1958).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Barbour, R. D., Buhler, D. R., and Wang, C. H., Plant Physiol., 33, 396 (1958).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Tager, J. M., S. Afr. J. Sci., 53, 167 (1956).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Tager, J. M., and Biale, J. B., Physiologia Plantarum, 10, 69 (1957).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Young, R. E., and Biale, J. B., Amer. Soc. Plant Physiol., Western Section, Abstracts of meeting at Davis, June 1961, 31.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

RAMSEY, J., WANG, C. Catabolic Changes in Ripening Tomato Fruit. Nature 193, 800–801 (1962). https://doi.org/10.1038/193800a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/193800a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing