Summary
We devised a method to assay physiological changes in ripening tomatoes. Analysis of the same fruit in two different stages of maturity served to compensate for individual variability. Each fruit was cut in half; one half was analyzed in the green state, the other half was analyzed after ripening. Faster ripening tomatoes contained significantly more ascorbic acid when ripe than did slower ripening ones. In addition, the results indicate that ascorbic acid increases in the ripening of detached tomatoes.
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Based on a Master of Science thesis submitted to the University of Pittsburgh by the senior author.
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Clutter, M.E., Miller, E.V. Ascorbic acid content and time of ripening of tomatoes. Econ Bot 15, 218–222 (1961). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02862161
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02862161