How come some fruits ripen after harvest and some just rot? Is there a way to know which fruits will fall in which category?

Question

How come some fruits ripen after harvest and some just rot? Is there a way to know which fruits will fall in which category?

In: Biology

Answer 1

So in terms of ripening, there are two types of fruits- climacteric and non-climacteric.

The difference between the two lies in a chemical called ethylene (specifically ethylene gas), which converts the naturally occurring starches in the fruit into sugars. Blueberries and strawberries, for example, are non-climacteric and contain very little ethylene, so that’s why they decompose into mush after extended time off the vine. Pears or mangoes, however, are climacteric and contain significant amounts of ethylene which makes them become sweeter over time.

[Here’s a little article about it I found](https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/ask/curiosities/curiosities-why-do-fruits-such-as-peaches-and-melons-stop-ripening-when-they-are-cut/article_2efcffd2-03c1-11e1-b065-001cc4c03286.html#:~:text=Fruits%20that%20can%20ripen%20after,into%20sugar%20even%20after%20picking.)

Hope it helps 🙂!