Fruit Development, Maturation, Ripening, and Senescence: A Biochemical Basis for Horticultural Terminology1

Abstract

The terminology used to describe developmental stages of fruits is often confusing or even misleading. “Mature” and “ripe” are often used synonymously. We find reference to “green” fruit, based on skin or peel color, used interchangeably with “unripe”, the latter without referring to pigmentation but rather to a state of non-palatability. We see in the literature such words used synonymously as “overripe” and “senescent” in describing a fruit in a very late stage of development. Such terms as “early maturity”, “optimum maturity”, or “full maturity” leave some doubt as to what stage is actually under consideration. At best, different authors are not always referring to the same stage, even when dealing with the same fruit.