FINE STRUCTURE OF FRUIT DEVELOPMENT IN TOMATO

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Abstract
Fine structural changes occurring in the parenchymatous outer pericarp of tomato fruit (a representative high-moisture, edible plant tissue) were followed throughout the fruit’s normal growth cycle on the plant. Illustrated in electron micrographs, these changes involve the structural components of the protoplasm, both membranous and non-membranous. Normal intercellular space enlargement and cell wall separation are also shown. The observations are discussed in relation to some of the biochemical and physiological changes known to occur in the developing fruit. The results indicate the potential value of electron microscopy in extending present knowledge of certain problem areas in fruit and vegetable research, such as the processes involved in the onset of senescence, the mechanism of physiological disorders, and the fundamental nature of quality changes affecting the tissue’s edible properties.