Tomato Fruit Ripening: Ethylene as a major player

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is one of the important vegetable crops in India and it ranks next to potato in consumption. It has also emerged as the model plant for climacteric fruit ripening for a combination of scientific and agricultural reasons. The ripening of fleshy fruits is carried out by a series of biochemical, physiological and structural changes that make the fruit attractive and palatable to the consumer. During the process of fruit ripening, changes in texture, color, flavor and aroma occur in addition to alteration in levels of vitamins and antioxidants. In climacteric fruits like tomato, ethylene production is necessary for initiation and completion of the process of fruit ripening. Ethylene is a gaseous hormone that play a critical in regulating a number of physiological and developmental events in plants. Various facets of fruit ripening are stimulated by ethylene, though it certainly is not the only contributing component. A greater understanding of the role of ethylene in fruit ripening and interactions of other hormones and developmental factors in ripening can facilitate the identification of target loci to enhance fruit quality, yield and nutritional value.