Climacteric vs Non-climacteric

Fruits can be divided into two groups according to the regulatory mechanisms underlying their ripening process. Climacteric fruit, such as tomato, apple, pear, and melon are characterized by a ripening-associated increase in respiration and in ethylene production, the phytohormone ethylene being the major trigger and coordinator of the ripening process. By contrast, nonclimacteric fruits, such as grape, orange and pineapple, are characterized by the lack of ethylene-associated respiratory peak and the signaling pathways that drive the ripening process remain elusive. The identification of regulatory or structural genes controlling fruit development and ripening is a necessary step towards enlarging our understanding of the fruit biology and hence opening new leads for improving fruit quality traits.