It only takes one ripe fruit for the others around to accelerate their ripening. But why ? And does this apply to all fruits?
It is not a legend, the presence of a ripe fruit does indeed accelerate the ripening of other fruits … at least of some. This is the case with fruits sensitive to hormone vegetableethylene. They say they are fruits climacteric.
Among the climacteric fruits, we can mention: apples, pears, bananas, the tomatoes, melons, etc. On the other hand, citrus fruits, strawberries or the grape are non-climacteric fruits.
Formation and action of ethylene in ripe fruits
Ethylene responsible for ripening in climacteric plants is a volatile phytohormone. Ethylene produced by a ripe fruit therefore acts on fruits near.
This ethylene is formed from a amino acid, the methionine, which undergoes a series of metabolic transformations during a cycle called the Yang cycle. These reactions are initiated by factors of stress external factors such as cold or lack of water, but also by internal factors and, in particular, by the presence of ethylene. The production of this phytohormone is therefore an autocatalytic mechanism, which explains its effectiveness in ripening green fruits.
The more concentrated this hormone, the faster the fruit ripens. That is why it is recommended to place a ripe fruit with over-green fruits in a bell. This will retain ethylene for the benefit of other fruits, instead of letting it diffuse into theair.
The Gariguette strawberry, from the crossing of the Belrubi and Favette varieties Very popular, the Gariguette strawberry variety was obtained at INRA by crossing the Belrubi and Favette varieties in 1976. © YannGarPhoto – CC by-nc 2.0
The tomato and its many varieties Tomatoes come in many varieties, from green to red to yellow. Shape, size, taste and texture also vary widely. © Frédérique Bressoud, INRA photo library
Garlic heads and their cloves Display of garlic heads on a fruit and vegetable stall at Copacabana Market, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. © Jean-Marie Bossennec, Inra photo library
The breadfruit and its tropical fruit Native to Oceania, the breadfruit is cultivated in the tropics for its edible fruit, the breadfruit. The fruit is also called “country chestnut” in the French Antilles. © Jean-Marie Bossennec, Inra photo library
Exotic fruits: dates, lemons and coconut Starfruit, lemons, dates, or coconut belong to the large family of exotic fruits. © Jean Weber, INRA photo library
Starfruit, these star-shaped fruits Star-shaped fruits, carambolas are often used by pastry chefs to decorate their creations. © Christophe Maitre, Inra photo library
A purple cauliflower from Sicily Who Said Cauliflower Has To Be White? This Italian violetto di Sicilia cauliflower, originally from Sicily, puts color on our plates! © Véronique Chable, Inra photo library
Cross section of a red cabbage This photo does not represent a labyrinth but a cross section of a red cabbage. Present it this way to your children, they might want to taste it! © Anne-Hélène Cain, Inra photo library
Quince, the fruit of the quince tree The quince, the fruit of the quince tree, is native to the island of Crete, Greece. When ripe, the quince is covered with a yellow trim and can be eaten in particular as jam. © Anne-Hélène Cain, Inra photo library
Cucurbits: Halloween vegetables Some Cucurbits, used as decoration for the Halloween party, really take on a hideous appearance for the occasion! © Jean Weber, Inra photo library
Coloquintes and patissons, two cucurbits Coloquintes and patissons, two cucurbits, have various shapes and colors and are logically used in decoration. © Jean Weber, Inra photo library
Papaya from Réunion, a tasty berry Papayas, native to Mexico, are also cultivated in tropical countries. These berries can shade currants and blueberries as they can weigh up to 5 kilograms! © Bertrand Nicolas, INRA photo library
The varieties of peppers and peppers The varieties of peppers and peppers are particularly studied at the genetics and plant improvement unit at INRA in Avignon. © Christian Slagmulder, INRA photo library
Yellow pears from the market Yellow pears lined up on a market stall make your mouth water … © Bertrand Nicolas, INRA photo library
Capsaicin, the molecule in peppers and chili peppers Peppers and peppers belong to the same genus (Capsicium), but are differentiated by their content of capsaicin, the molecule responsible for the spicy taste. © Christian Slagmulder, INRA photo library
Field bean or fodder bean The faba bean, or forage bean, produces pods that contain two to five seeds. © Gérard Duc, INRA photo library
Brussels sprouts, buds of the plant Brussels sprouts, often denigrated by children for their bitter taste, correspond to the axillary buds of the plant. © Anne-Hélène Cain, Inra photo library
The amazing Yellow King mandarin The Yellow King mandarin, with a more than particular appearance, belongs to the collection of the SRA Inra-Cirad of San-Giuliano, in Corsica. © Camille Jacquemond, INRA photo library
An old variety of Cantaloupe melon The varieties of melons are numerous. Here, we can observe an old variety of melon cultivated in France, of the Cantaloupe type. © Michel Pitrat, INRA photo library
Eggplant varieties There are a large number of varieties of eggplant, from the most primitive with small pale fruits (on the right) to the most evolved and mostly eaten (on the left). © Marie-Christine Brand-Daunay, Inra photo library
The walnut and its husk, this green envelope As a nut ripens, the pulp (or husk) surrounding the shell cracks and dries out. © Anne-Hélène Cain, INRA photo library
A blossoming beef heart tomato The deformation of this beef heart tomato comes from a defect in the flower, and therefore affects the fruit. This phenomenon occurs in particular in varieties with large fruits. © Philippe Esteve, external author, INRA photo library
Endives with their roots The endives are “forced in a dark room”, that is to say, grown under unnatural conditions. The bud obtained from the root constitutes the white and edible part of the endive. © Claire Dore, INRA photo library
White currants, a low acid variety While red currants are very acidic, the white currant variety is much less. © Michel Pitsch, INRA photo library
Primitive varieties of potatoes The primitive varieties of potatoes have very specific shapes. © P. Rousselle, INRA photo library
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