Postharvest Quality of High Pigment and Crimson Tomato Fruit1,2

Abstract

The ripening rate of tomato fruit with high pigment and/or crimson characteristic was about the same as that with normal pigment; however, the lycopene content of the former fruit was much greater. Shelf life of fruit containing high pigment and crimson characteristic was significantly greater than that of other fruit. All fruit exhibited a typical climacteric in the respiration pattern.