Role of surface morphology in determining the ripening behaviour of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) fruits

Surface characteristics of fruit mainly determine the diffusibility of gases across its boundary and also the extent to which moisture being lost from the fruit. The present study has been carried out with an objective to find out the association between the ripening related processes and surface morphology of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) fruit. Tomato fruits of two contrasting varieties; Pusa Gaurav (a slow ripening type) and Pusa Ruby (a relatively fast ripening type) were evaluated for physiological loss in weight (PLW), rate of respiration, effect of hypoxia on ripening, dimension of stem scar region and distribution of lenticels along with hair base cell of trichomes on the surface of the fruits. Results showed that fruits of Pusa Gaurav showed significantly lower PLW, rate of respiration, surface area of stem scar region, density of lenticels along with hair base cell of trichomes and slower ripening under hypoxia condition in comparison to Pusa Ruby. More resistance towards gaseous exchange and therefore lower O-2 to CO2 ratio inside the fruits of Pusa Gaurav in contrast to Pusa Ruby in view of the differences in the surface morphological features in these two varieties could possibly be assigned as one of the reasons responsible for the obtained varietal difference in ripening and related changes. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.