FLAVOR VOLATILES, SUGARS AND COLOR DEVELOPMENT IN RIPENING IN-VITRO-CULTURED TOMATO FRUIT AND CALYX

Previous studies showed that the developmental program of calyces of a tomato cultivar (Lycopersicon esculentum, cv. VFNT Cherry) changed in many aspects to that of fruit when cultured in vitro. The calyces tur ned red, produced ethylene, had increased tissue content of 1-aminocyc lopropane-1-carboxylic acid, had increased levels of the mRNA of polyg alacturonase and developed ultrastructural changes in their cell walls that were indistinguishable from those of ripe tomato fruit tissue. W e report in the present study the synthesis of volatile flavor compoun ds, changes in sugar concentrations and color development in cultured calyces that are characteristic of ripening tomato fruit. These ripeni ng parameters of in vitro-cultured tomato fruit were also compared to those of fruit grown in the greenhouse.